The Nigerian Senate says it is considering a bill to institutionalise a presidential address to the nation every June 12 a date recognised for its deep democratic symbolism in the country’s political history.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele revealed this during a media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, stating that the legislative arm is working to formalise the President’s speech on that day through a new piece of legislation.
“We are hoping to bring a bill soon to institutionalise the President’s address on June 12 because of its historical importance,” Bamidele said. “There can’t be a better time to address the nation through the parliament than on June 12, especially since it is a joint sitting of the National Assembly.”
The proposed legislation, according to Bamidele, will also seek to designate the National Assembly Complex — rather than the current Eagles Square — as the official venue for future presidential inauguration ceremonies.
“We are hoping, in that bill, to ensure that the swearing-in ceremony of the next President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria, whom we believe is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be held within the arcade of the National Assembly,” he added.
If passed, the bill could mark a major constitutional and ceremonial shift in Nigeria’s democratic tradition, which has since 1999 hosted presidential inaugurations at the symbolic Eagles Square in Abuja.
Bamidele also disclosed that the Senate is evaluating the implementation status of the 2024 national budget, particularly the capital expenditure component. He noted that lawmakers may consider extending its implementation period to ensure continuity and alignment with the upcoming 2025 fiscal year.
“We have to sit and assess the full implementation of the 2024 budget. We will further extend the capital expenditure timeline while ensuring that the 2025 budget is fully implemented,” he said.
The Senate Leader, who represents Ekiti Central and serves as Vice Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, addressed ongoing constitutional amendments and confirmed that the process, though gradual, is approaching its final phase.
“We’ve done almost 70 per cent of the work before going public,” Bamidele said. “Before the end of the third legislative year, we intend to complete the constitutional amendment process.”
He added that zonal public hearings will commence soon and will culminate in a national joint hearing coordinated by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
June 12 has become a pivotal date in Nigeria’s democratic journey, rooted in the annulled presidential election of 1993 — an election widely regarded as the freest and fairest in the country’s history. Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola was the presumed winner before the results were cancelled by then military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida, triggering nationwide protests and political upheaval.
In 2018, former President Muhammadu Buhari formally moved Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12, in honour of Abiola’s democratic legacy. The decision was meant to memorialise the sacrifices made during the struggle to restore civilian rule and to recognise the election as a watershed moment in Nigeria’s democratic history.
More recently, Babangida, in a book published in February 2025, openly acknowledged for the first time that MKO Abiola indeed won the 1993 election, further reinforcing June 12’s historic and political significance.
