- Says event will be low key
By Omololu Ogunmade
The second term inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari will take place on May 29, this year in a low-key manner while the main ceremony for the event will take place on June 12, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed in Abuja Monday.
Briefing journalists in the State House, Mohammed said the decision to organise a low-key inauguration event was taken at the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of May 8, 2019.
According to the minister, world leaders who had been invited to grace the president’s inauguration would be received on June 12 during the ceremony adding that the move is aimed at deepening democracy, moreso that this year’s June 12 as the new Democracy Day falls into the election.
Mohammed who also said details of the event would be unfolded on May 20, added that shifting the ceremony to June 12, had become imperative because the country could not afford to organise two ceremonies within two weeks.
Mohammed said: “President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration for a second term on May 29, 2019, will be a low-key affair, as a number of the events slated for
the inauguration will now be held during the first observance of June
12 as the National Democracy Day
“The decision to have a low-key inauguration for the President was taken at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, 8 May 2019. However, invitations have been sent to all world leaders to attend the ceremonies marking the observance of the Democracy Day on June 12.
“Since the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day falls into an
election year, and as a measure to sustain June 12 as Democracy Day,
the celebration of the inauguration and the advancement of democracy
in the country will now take place on June 12.
“The country can ill-afford two major celebrations within a two-week interval. Details of the events slated for the two ceremonies will be unveiled at a world press conference slated for May 20th in Abuja.”
Buhari had last year, recognised June 12 as the new Democracy Day in commemoration of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Chief MKO Abiola but annulled by the military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, without any justifiable reason.
The bill intended to change democracy day from May 29 to June 12 is still under consideration in the National Assembly.
Buhari also last year posthumously recognised Abiola as a past Nigerian president. He also recognised his running mate, Babagana Kingibe, as a former vice-president while the late foremost human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was at the forefront of the battle for the actualisation of June 12, was also posthumously honoured.
