The Presidency has issued a formal apology following an error in President Bola Tinubu's Democracy Day address where two living nationalists were mistakenly included in a list of posthumous honours recipients.
In a statement released on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, acknowledged that respected Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti and distinguished academic Dr. Edwin Madunagu were erroneously listed among deceased honorees during the President's address to a joint session of the National Assembly.
"During his Democracy Day address at the joint session of the National Assembly earlier today, President Bola Tinubu announced a list of pro-democracy activists and national figures to be honoured for their significant contributions to the restoration of democratic governance in Nigeria," the statement read.
"Under the Posthumous Award category, the names of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader, and Dr. Edwin Madunagu were incorrectly included. Both distinguished individuals are very much alive and, therefore, should not have appeared in the posthumous category."
Correction Promised
Onanuga described the inclusion as "an unfortunate oversight" and assured Nigerians that necessary corrections would be promptly made across all official State House digital platforms.
"We sincerely regret this oversight. We shall make the necessary corrections across all State House digital platforms," the statement concluded.
The Democracy Day honours list included several notable figures who received posthumous national recognition for their contributions to Nigeria's democratic journey, including Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.
This error has drawn attention amid the otherwise solemn occasion of recognizing those who fought for Nigeria's return to democratic governance.
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