President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has cancelled his scheduled national broadcast originally planned for 7:00 a.m. on June 12, 2025, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration. The announcement was made in an official statement by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations, on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the change in schedule is due to President Tinubu’s planned attendance at a joint session of the National Assembly, where he will instead deliver his Democracy Day address.
“Due to H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, scheduled attendance at the National Assembly Joint Session, the Presidential National Broadcast on June 12 has been cancelled,” the statement read. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will deliver his address from the National Assembly. All other Democracy Day plans remain unchanged.”
Revised Democracy Day Programme Announced
Further details provided by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Democracy Day, through its representative Abdulhakeem Adeoye, confirmed that following the President’s address at the National Assembly at noon, there will be no Democracy Day parade this year. A public lecture titled “Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy: Necessity of Enduring Reforms” will be held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja by 4:00 p.m.
This year’s celebration marks 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria since the end of military rule in 1999. Democracy Day, previously observed on May 29 to coincide with the inauguration of elected officials, was moved to June 12 in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to honor the late MKO Abiola and the annulled 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s fairest polls.
Democracy Under Scrutiny Amid Celebrations
While the nation marks over two decades of democratic rule, concerns have been raised about the state of Nigeria’s democracy. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed fears about a growing trend towards civilian dictatorship.
“I’m very happy that today coincides with the lead-up to June 12, so that if we still have any iota of conscience left, we’ll realise we have damaged this democracy,” Momodu remarked.
A Pivotal Moment for Nigeria’s Democracy
The 2025 Democracy Day celebration will be the third under President Tinubu’s administration, following his victory in the keenly contested 2023 presidential election. As Nigeria reflects on its democratic journey, the events of June 12 will not only commemorate the country’s progress but also spotlight ongoing debates about governance, electoral integrity, and civil liberties.
