Democracy Day: Tinubu cancels national broadcast, gives reason

President Bola Tinubu has scrapped his planned national broadcast for Democracy Day and will instead speak directly to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 12, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

This change comes ahead of the official Democracy Day commemoration, marking 26 years of uninterrupted civil rule since June 12, 1993.

A statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that the switch from a broadcast to a live speech reflects a decision to engage more directly with legislators.

He noted that the speech will highlight government achievements and the state of Nigerian democracy, while also including remarks from former Senate President David Mark, former House Speaker (now Tinubu’s Chief of Staff) Femi Gbajabiamila, and former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar. Following the addresses, Tinubu is expected to inaugurate the newly minted National Assembly Library, which will be renamed in his honour.

This marks the second time Tinubu has opted out of a national broadcast in favour of a more personal address to legislators—in May 2024, he similarly bypassed an Independence Day radio message, choosing parliamentary interaction instead