The Senate, on Thursday, passed a bill to recognise June 12 as Democracy Day.
The passage followed the presentation of a report to that effect by the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan.
It was put to a voice vote by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and approved.
In the bill, the clause which slated Democracy Day for May 29 was amended to June 12.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari declared that June 12 of every year would be Democracy Day.
The declaration was made last year when the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, was posthumously conferred with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR).
Following the plan to celebrate June 12 as Democracy Day this year, the Federal Government declared that the president’s inauguration for a second term on May 29 would be low key.
This was according to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
He made the plan known on Monday when he spoke with State House correspondents on the activities for the May 29 inauguration.
The minister said the decision to have a low-key celebration was because the government could not afford two major celebrations within a month.
Mohammed said the decision to shift the main celebration to June 12 was taken at the Federal Executive Council meeting held last week.
Speaking on the June 12 celebration as the new Democracy Day, Mohammed said invitations had been sent to world leaders.
“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,” he said.
He said full details of both the inauguration and the new Democracy Day would be made public on May 20 in Abuja.
