President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will address a joint session of Nigeria’s Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. The occasion marks Democracy Day, a national holiday commemorating the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which is widely celebrated as the most credible election in Nigeria’s democratic history.
The election was won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola but was annulled by the military government under General Ibrahim Babangida, an act that delayed Nigeria’s democratic progress.
House of Representatives Spokesman Akin Rotimi confirmed in a Sunday statement that members have been formally notified of the event through an internal memo from the House Clerk, Yahaya Danzaria. The joint sitting will begin at 11:00 a.m. with preliminary activities, while President Tinubu’s arrival and address are scheduled for 12 noon.
The theme for this year’s Democracy Day is “26 years of democracy: Renewing our commitment to national development.” President Tinubu will deliver a keynote presidential address as the Special Guest of Honour.
The programme will also include goodwill messages from former presiding officers of the National Assembly and the conferment of National Honours on selected legislators by the President. The statement stressed, “This joint sitting represents a significant moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey. It underscores the pivotal role of the National Assembly in safeguarding democratic values, fostering accountability, and advancing national development over the past 26 years of uninterrupted civil rule.”
The House of Representatives urged Nigerians to embrace Democracy Day as a time for “reflection, renewed patriotism, and commitment to building a more inclusive, prosperous, and united nation.”