President Tinubu Confers CFR On Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, Apologizes For Omission From June 12 Honours

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (Rtd), a prominent figure in the struggle for the actualization of the June 12 mandate and a widely respected advocate for democracy.

The announcement was made today during the commissioning of a 300-bed hospital and vocational training institute in Kaduna, where President Tinubu publicly acknowledged Colonel Umar’s enduring contributions to democratic governance in Nigeria.

“Colonel Abubakar Umar stood firmly on the side of justice when it mattered most. He is rightly called the ‘Soldier of Democracy’,” the President said. “His courage in defending the June 12 mandate and his unwavering commitment to democratic ideals deserve our nation’s deepest gratitude.”

Colonel Umar, a former military governor of Kaduna State, played a vocal and principled role in opposing the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election—widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history—and in supporting the mandate of the presumed winner, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

His name, however, was notably absent from the list of honorees announced on Democracy Day, June 12. Addressing this oversight, President Tinubu offered a public apology.

“I deeply regret that his name was not included among the June 12 honorees earlier this month. That omission has now been corrected,” the President said.

The conferment of the CFR honour on Colonel Umar has been widely praised as a long-overdue recognition of his sacrifices and steadfastness in the face of military repression and political turmoil.

The newly commissioned hospital and vocational training centre in Kaduna is part of the administration’s commitment to improving healthcare access and creating opportunities for youth empowerment across the country.