Nigerian Senate plans to introduce a bill to institutionalise an annual presidential address on June 12, a significant historical day, and proposes holding future presidential swearing-in ceremonies within the National Assembly Complex
The Nigerian Senate is set to embark on a legislative journey to institutionalise a presidential address every June 12, recognising the day’s profound historical significance.
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This development was revealed by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, during an interview with reporters on Tuesday.
Bamidele stated that the Senate is preparing a bill to formalise the President’s annual speech to the nation on this date.
“We are hoping to bring a bill soon to institutionalise the President’s address on June 12 because of its historical importance. 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,” he explained.
Beyond the June 12 address, the proposed legislation will also seek to designate the National Assembly (NASS) Complex as the official venue for future presidential swearing-in 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,” Bamidele affirmed.
In addition to these legislative plans, the Senate leader announced that the Senate is considering an extension of the implementation period for the 2024 budget, particularly its capital expenditure component.
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.
On the critical issue of constitutional reform, Senator Bamidele, who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, acknowledged that progress has been slow but assured Nigerians that the process is ongoing.
He asserted that the committee is nearing the final stages of its work and plans to hold public hearings at zonal levels in the coming weeks, which will culminate in a joint public hearing coordinated by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“We’ve done almost 70 percent of the work before going public. Before the end of the third legislative year, we intend to complete the constitutional amendment process,” he stated.
June 12 gained prominence in Nigeria after the controversial annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely believed to have been won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
The election was annulled by then-Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, triggering widespread outrage and protests nationwide.
As a form of historical acknowledgment, then-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 moved Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 in honour of Abiola and to commemorate one of the freest elections in the nation’s history, celebrating the ideals of democracy since the inception of the Fourth Republic 25 years ago.
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In a recent development, Babangida, in his book released in February 2025, admitted for the first time that MKO Abiola indeed won the election.
