Sani said this at the Democracy Day dinner in Abuja on Wednesday.
Former senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has told President Bola Tinubu that the national anthem and pledge cannot unite the nation.
Sani said this at the Democracy Day dinner in Abuja on Wednesday.
He added that the country can only be united by the ideas of freedom, equity and justice.
Tinubu’s administration recently changed the country’s national anthem to the old anthem.
Sani said, “Mr. President, I will like to draw your attention to this fact and this truth, the national anthem cannot unite a nation, the national pledge cannot unite a nation, a constitution cannot unite a nation, a nation is united by the ideas of freedom, equity and justice.
“Many younger generations of today have not and wouldn’t know the sacrifice we have made to restore democracy to this country.
“This democracy was not a gift given to us by the military, it was not a lottery that was won, it was a product of struggle and sacrifices. There were people who were forced into exiled like the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the likes of Wole Soyinka, there were people who were sent to prison like us.
“There were many who were there, this democracy was a product of struggle. The Academic Staff Union of Universities made sacrifices, Nigerian media made sacrifices, the NUPENG headed by the likes of Frank Kokori made sacrifices, National Association of Nigerian Students made sacrifices, this democracy was product of that struggle, a product of that commitment and determination.”
He also added that the Tinubu’s administration must succeed because he “came from the struggle for the country’s democracy”.
“Mr. President, you have a duty to succeed, if you succeed, we will share in your glory because it came from the trenches, you came from that struggle.
“You came from that period of struggle. Mr. President, if you fail, they will say those of you who fought for democracy have nothing new to offer to Nigeria.”
Speaking further, he called on the President to do something about #EndSARS protesters still languishing in jail.