Finally, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday signed a bill on June 2 as the new Democracy Day into law.
The president signed the bill barely 48 hours to what will become the first Democracy Day in the country.
The Federal Government had earlier on Monday declared Wednesday, June 12, as a public holiday, to commemorate the nation’s National Democracy Day.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mrs Georgina Ehuriah, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government in a statement signed by Mr Mohammed Manga, Director Press and Public Relations, of the ministry, on Monday in Abuja.
Ehuriah congratulated all Nigerians at home and abroad for the entrenchment of democratic rule in the country.
The permanent secretary called on Nigerians to continue to cherish the sacrifice made by heroes of democracy in the country.
She emphasised that those who lost their lives in the struggle for the actualisation of Democratic Governance in Nigeria in order to make the country a better place for all, must not be forgotten.
Ehuriah further called for the collaboration and cooperation of all Nigerians with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration towards achieving the nation’s collective aspiration for unity, peace and socio-economic development.
Buhari on June 7, 2018 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.
Buhari also resolved to honour the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola, with the highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic.
The President disclosed these in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists.
He said he reached the decisions after due consultations.
Apart from Abiola, Buhari said he would also honour his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, and the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, with the second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Niger.
Their investiture took place on June 12, 2018.
The statement read, “For the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29, as Democracy Day. That was the date when, for the second time in our history, an elected civilian administration took over from a military government. The first time this happened was on October 21, 1979.
“But in the view of Nigerians, as shared by this administration, June 12, 1993 was far more symbolic of democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29 or even the October 1.
“June 12, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was undisputedly the freest, fairest and most peaceful elections since our independence.
“The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military government does not distract from the democratic credentials of that process.
“Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal, Government has decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as Democracy Day.
“Therefore, the government has decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the land, GCFR, to the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 cancelled elections.
“His running mate as Vice President, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, is also to be invested with a GCON.
“Furthermore, the tireless fighter for human rights and the actualisation of the June 12 elections and indeed for democracy in general, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, is to be awarded the GCON.
“The investiture will take place on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, a date which in future years will replace May 29 as a National Public Holiday in celebration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day.”
