National Assembly proposes bill to make its arcade official venue for presidential inaugurations

The Nigerian National Assembly is set to introduce new legislation that would formally designate its arcade as the official venue for future presidential inaugurations.

This was disclosed by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing journalists on activities marking the June 12 Democracy Day anniversary.

According to Bamidele, the proposed legislation is part of broader efforts by the parliament to deepen democratic practices and give greater symbolic weight to key national moments.

“We are also hoping to change our political setting to the extent that the swearing-in of the next President will, by the grace of God, be in the arcade of the National Assembly of Nigeria,” he stated.

In addition to the inauguration venue, Bamidele revealed that the National Assembly is also considering a bill that would require the President to deliver an annual ‘State of the Nation Address’ on June 12 before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“It is our desire to institutionalise the State of the Nation Address. We will bring a bill to address it, to ensure that it is institutionalised. People should look forward to it,” he said.

Highlighting the historical significance of the date, he added, “President Tinubu is working with the National Assembly in that regard. June 12 will be a better time for the President to address the nation through the National Assembly.

“There is no better day than June 12 for the President to address the nation, because of its historical significance. It is a joint sitting of the National Assembly. Nigerians should look forward to this legislative initiative.”

As part of this year’s Democracy Day celebrations, President Bola Tinubu has been invited to address a joint session of the legislature on Thursday, June 12, 2025.

June 12 is widely regarded in Nigeria as a pivotal moment in the nation’s democratic journey. It commemorates the 1993 presidential election, believed to be the fairest and most credible in the country’s history, and honours the memory of its presumed winner, the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.