The House of Representatives has approved that June 12 be marked as Democracy Day in Nigeria.
The approval follows the adoption of a report on a bill seeking to amend the Public Holidays Act 2004.
The members of the House of Representatives approved the bill on Thursday while considering a report on “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Public Holidays Act, Cap. P40, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to bring the Act in agreement with the current realities and necessities of the modern times and to declare June, 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria and for Related Matters.
Considering the report at the plenary, the lawmakers approved the amendments to three clauses in the Act, as recommended in the report.
The clause carrying May 29 as democracy day was amended to June 12.
The lawmakers saw the need to give the declaration a legal backing, hence the introduction of the bill by Edward Pwajok (Plateau, APC).
President Muhammadu Buhari had in June, directed that the nation’s Democracy Day will, henceforth, hold on June 12 of every year as against the current arrangement where the ceremony holds on May 29.
He also honoured the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, with the highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic.
Amos Abba is a journalist with the International Center for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, who believes that courageous investigative reporting is the key to social justice and accountability in the society.