By Omeiza Ajayi, ABUJA
President Bola Tinubu will on June 12 address a joint session of the National Assembly and deliver a presidential broadcast as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day anniversary, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, announced on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement signed by the special adviser on media and publicity to the SGF, Yomi Odunuga, and made available to Vanguard on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, Akume made the disclosure while inaugurating an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate preparations for the June 12 commemoration at the Shehu Shagari Complex in Abuja.
He said with only 10 days to the anniversary, committee members must begin work immediately.
A Democracy Day Gala Night will also be held on June 12, capping a week of events that includes a World Press Conference on June 4, Special Juma’at Prayers on June 5, a Special Inter-denominational Church Service on June 7, a Democracy Day Public Lecture on June 9, and Youth and Women-Orientated Programmes on June 10.
Akume said the administration was conscious of the prevailing national mood and its own commitment to fiscal responsibility and that this year’s activities would be modest in scale.
The SGF paid tribute to the heroes of the June 12, 1993 democratic struggle, particularly the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, whose sacrifice he said remained the foundation on which Nigeria’s current democratic institutions were built.
He described the annual commemoration as a fitting way to honour their memory while celebrating the country’s democratic progress.
Akume added that the occasion would give the Tinubu administration a platform to demonstrate to Nigerians the progress recorded in consolidating democracy, strengthening institutions, and repositioning the country through various reform initiatives despite prevailing socio-economic challenges.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee, which Akume chairs, draws its membership from across the executive, security and administrative arms of government, including the ministers of information, interior, FCT, health, foreign affairs, finance, defence, and budget and economic planning, as well as the national security adviser, the inspector-general of police, the director-general of the Department of State Services, and several presidential aides and permanent secretaries.
The committee is mandated to plan, organise and execute all approved Democracy Day activities; co-opt any organisation or individual relevant to the programme; document all activities for posterity; and carry out any other assignment necessary for the celebration’s success.
Akume directed all subcommittee secretaries to submit their budgets promptly to ensure seamless implementation of the programmes.
