Senate Mulls Bill to Make NASS Venue for Presidential Swearing-in

•Legislation will make it compulsory for president to address Nigerians on June 12

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate disclosed yesterday it was proposing a bill that would designate the National Assembly as the venue for the swearing in of the elected president in Nigeria.

The red chamber also said the proposed bill would make it mandatory for the president to always address Nigerians on June 12 of every year being the Democracy Day.

The Leader of the Senate, Senator OpeyemiBamidele, gave the hint yesterday while addressing some journalists at his Asokoro, Abuja residence.

He spoke ahead of the President Bola Tinubu’s address to the joint session of both the Senate and the House of Representatives at the National Assembly on Thursday, June 12.

Bamidele said the Senate was working on a legislation to institutionalise the event.

President Tinubu had earlier in 2024, attended a joint session of the National Assembly on June 12 for official rendition of the current National Anthem without addressing the lawmakers.

But on Thursday this week, the President will be with the federal lawmakers, totaling 460, for another special joint session where he will give official address.

As a way of sustaining the novel idea, the Leader said the Senate will soon come up with a legislation to institutionalize it.

Bamidele said: “We are hoping to bring a bill soon to institutionalize the President’s address on June 12 because of its historical importance.

“There can’t be a better time to address the nation through the parliament than on June 12, especially since it is a joint sitting of the National Assembly”.

He further revealed the proposed legislation would also seek to designate the National Assembly complex as the venue for future presidential swearing-in ceremonies.

He said: “We are hoping in that bill, to ensure that the swearing-in ceremony of the next President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria, whom we believe is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will hold within the arcade of the National Assembly.”

He added the Senate is considering an extension of the implementation period for the 2024 budget, particularly its capital expenditure component just as he hinted that before the end of the third legislative year, the constitutional amendment process shall be completed.