The House of Representatives on Thursday approved June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria and revoked May 29 to honour late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
Recall that Nigeria’s Democracy Day was being observed on 29 May, since 1999, until President Muhammadu Buhari declared in June 2018 that it would henceforth be observed on 12 June.
And by virtue of its approval, the House has given legal backing to Buhari’s declaration.
The approval followed the adoption of a report on a bill seeking to amend the Public Holidays Act 2004.
The federal lawmakers approved the amendments to three clauses in the Act, as recommended in the report. One of the clauses deleted May 29 as Democracy Day and replaced the date with June 12.
The amendment has put an end to the age-long dispute that June 12 should be made Democracy Day.