Democracy Day: Monday Is Public Holiday

By Adesina Soyooye

Monday June 13, 2022, has been declared a Public Holiday by the Federal Government.

According to a statement by  the Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, it is in commemoration of Democracy Day.

The Nigerian Government had, under former Head of State, General Abdulsami Abubakar, on May 29, 1999,  declared every May 29 Democracy Day because it was the day a Civilian Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo was inaugurated after years of Military Regimes.

But in 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Government shifted it to June 12, in honour of the Late MKO Abiola, who presumably won the election to the office of the President on June 12, 1993, but which was, inexplicably, annulled by the Military Government under General Ibrahim Babangida.

Abiola, sadly died in Military custody, ironically, under the regime of Abdulsalami.

This year’s June 12 fell on a Sunday, and, as is the usual in Nigeria, the public holiday to mark it was shifted to Monday, June 13.