President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, announced that Nigeria’s Democracy Day would now be celebrated on June 12, off from the previous date of May 29. He also conferred the late Chief MKO Abiola with honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), the nation’s highest honours.

The President who personally signed a press statement to this effect, also tweeted that the decision followed due consultations.

“Dear Nigerians, I am delighted to announce that, after due consultations, the Federal Govt has decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as Democracy Day.
We have also decided to award posthumously the highest Honour in the land, GCFR, to the late Chief MKO Abiola.

“Chief Abiola’s running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, is also to be awarded a GCON.

“Furthermore, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, tireless fighter for human rights & democracy, & for the actualization of the June 12, 1993 elections, will be posthumously awarded a GCON.” Buhari tweeted.

Excerpts from the press statement signed by Buhari recounts that “for the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29 as Democracy Day. That was the date when for the seocnd 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,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the commemoration of the new date and investiture of the various honours will take place on June 12, 2018, “a date which in future years will replace May 29 as a National Public Holiday in celebration of Nigeria Democracy Day.”

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