In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government announced that Nigeria’s Democracy Day, which is celebrated annually on May 29, would be moved to June 12.
According to the government, the decision was made to honor late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was annulled by Nigeria’s former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, before official results were declared.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said on Thursday at Radio House in Abuja that activities for this year’s Democracy Day will include a public lecture at the National Mosque on Friday and Jumaat prayers on the same day and place on June 10, 2022.
He said that the event will continue on Sunday morning with President Muhammadu Buhari addressing the country through live broadcast at 7:00 a.m.
According to Mohammed, a church service will be held in the National Christian Centre at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, 2022. On Monday morning, he said, there would be a Democracy Day parade in Abuja’s Eagle Square. Mohammed assured that all events would be held without any security breaches.
The Minister boasts that no government had immortalized MKO Abiola more than Buhari’s regime.
Naija News recalls that President Buhari had also honored Abiola with a posthumous award of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Speaking further about the activities for the 2022 June 12 Democracy Day, Mohammed said “Attendance at the events is strictly by invitation and in line with the COVID-19 protocol”.
The Minister noted that whatever the Federal Government was doing was to celebrate that day in memory of Abiola, as well as many other heroes, many Nigerian students, and democrats worth celebrating.
“So, I think the Federal Government has done enough in addition to the fact that several state governments have followed suit. We have in our small way be courageous enough to declare this day a public holiday, I think it is the best gift to any Nigerian,” Mohammed added.
