President Tinubu will deliver his 2025 Democracy Day speech from the National Assembly, cancelling the traditional national broadcast and military parade

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emocracy Day broadcast cancelled as President Bola Tinubu will now deliver his 2025 Democracy Day address from the National Assembly chambers, a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation confirmed on Wednesday.

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Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations, announced that the planned national broadcast originally slated for 7 a.m. on 12 June has been cancelled due to Tinubu’s scheduled appearance at a special joint session of the National Assembly later that day.

“Due to President Bola Tinubu’s scheduled attendance at the National Assembly Joint Session, the Presidential National Broadcast on June 12 has been cancelled. President Tinubu will deliver his address from the National Assembly,” Imohiosen stated.

Other commemorative activities will continue as planned, including a public lecture at 4 p.m. at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, under the theme “Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy:

Necessity of Enduring Reforms.”* This event will be covered exclusively by accredited State House correspondents.

Earlier notifications had also revealed the cancellation of the traditional military parade that was to mark the 26th Democracy Day celebration. No official reason has been provided for the parade’s cancellation.

This year marks 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria, following the end of military rule in 1999.

Democracy Day was moved from 29 May to 12 June in 2018 to commemorate the annulled 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s fairest vote, won by Chief MKO Abiola.

The 2025 celebration is the third since President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, following a contentious election.