From Victor Osula, Abuja
The National Assembly on Thursday adopted June 12 as the official day for the President of Nigeria to address a joint session of the legislature annually.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the resolution during a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives in Abuja, following a motion moved by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas.
“Mr President, in the eloquent speech by the Honourable Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, he raised a motion that June 12 should be formalised as the Presidential Day of Address to the joint session of the National Assembly. I hereby put the question,” Akpabio said.
“Those in support of the motion, moved and seconded, say ‘Aye’; those against say ‘Nay’. The ‘Ayes’ have it,” he declared.
The decision came shortly after President Bola Tinubu addressed a joint session of the National Assembly to mark 26 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria. The event was held at the House of Representatives chamber.
In his address, President Tinubu paid tribute to the late M.K.O. Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, and his wife, Kudirat, describing Abiola as a symbol of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
He also honoured the sacrifices of other pro-democracy heroes, including Alfred Rewane, Anthony Enahoro, and Pa Abraham Adesanya.
Refuting claims that his administration had influenced the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deny registration to new political parties, Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to multi-party democracy.
He stressed that his government remained focused on promoting economic growth, industrial development, and infrastructure as part of efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy.
President Tinubu also commended the National Assembly for its continued cooperation with the executive arm, adding that such synergy had helped to sustain democratic governance.
He dismissed suggestions that his administration had plans to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
