Tinubu orders discreet first anniversary celebration

The Nigerian government is to hold a “low-key” official ceremony to mark President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office, according to Minister of Information and National Guidance Mohammed Idris.

Idris stated this on Wednesday at the series of ministerial press conferences held at the Radio House in Abuja.

It is unclear whether the government intends to hold the ceremony on June 12, a day officially recognized as Democracy Day.

Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebration was celebrated on May 29 before President Buhari changed it to June 12 to commemorate the June 12, 1993 presidential election annulled by military rule.

Electoral data showed that Moshood Abiola won the polls, but he was never formally declared the winner and the military government of Ibrahim Babangida did not take office.

Tinubu, a prominent supporter of Abiola, is believed to have played a major role in the change of Democracy Day to June 12.

Speaking about the plan for the first year of office, Idris said the celebration will focus on sectoral debates instead of the usual celebrations.

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“The anniversary will be discreet, there will not be a grand ceremony but rather a sectoral briefing by the ministers.

“The essence is to ensure that government funds are maintained for the people,” the minister said.

He said the debate would focus on eight key sectors of the government and ministers would be devolved to talk about different sectors.

He added that the series of ministerial briefings will be held daily with different ministers reporting on activities in their sector.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, had also indicated that the celebration would be low-key.