President Bola Tinubu will deliver an address on State of the nation at joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The senate and house of representatives will hold a joint sitting on Wednesday to mark 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country.
Joint sittings of the senate and house of representatives are rare.
A statement issued by Magaji Tambawal, clerk to the national assembly, said President Bola Tinubu will deliver an address on the state of the nation at the joint sitting and also inaugurate the national assembly library.
Also expected at the sitting are Vice-President Kashim Shettima; AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, governor of Kwara and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo; and George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation.
Others are Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president; and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
Gbajabiamila, who served as speaker of the 9th house (2019-2023), will deliver a paper on ‘Reflections on the House’, while David Mark, president of the 6th & 7th senate (2007-2015), will speak on ‘Reflections on the Senate’.
Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, will also deliver a paper on ‘Reflections on the Journey to Democracy’, the statement reads.
On May 29 – Democracy Day
May 29, initially was celebrated as democracy day in Nigeria, celebrated by government in power by giving account of the gains and losses made since the return to civil rule.
It is also recognised as the end of military rule in Nigeria, and the restoration of a democratic system of government, symbolized by the swearing in of the first president elect, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on May 29, 1999.
The agitations of pro democracy groups, who felt it was abnormal to recognise May 29 as democracy day was part of the reasons that influenced President Muhammadu Buhari, to recognise June 12 as a democracy day and declared the day a public holiday, while May 29 is recognised as the handing over day.
June 12 became significant, because on June 12,1993 Nigerians went to the poll and elected Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola as the president, but the election was annulled by the military President General Ibrahim Babangida.
The election, which was adjudged as the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria elections made many Nigerians, and the international communities to clamour for the de -annulment of the election, and that Chief MKO Abiola adjudged the winner of the election should be sworn in as President of Nigeria.
The clamour led to the incarceration of Chief Abiola and his eventual death while in detention.
Many Nigerians, also lost their lives in the struggle, including the wife of the acclaimed winner of the election, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
Some Nigerians were also maimed in the struggle, while others were kept in detention, and some went on exile, including the present President of Nigeria Senator Bola Tinubu.
It was the agitation that led to the return of power to the civilian in 1999, when General Abdulsalam Abubakar handed over power to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in May 29,1999.
