Nigerian Government Cancels Military Parade For 2025 Democracy Day
In a surprising break from tradition, the Nigerian government has cancelled the annual military parade previously scheduled to mark the 26th Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
A statement from the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Democracy Day Celebration confirmed the cancellation, noting that the usual pomp and ceremony would be replaced with a nationwide broadcast by President Bola Tinubu at 7 a.m.
Rather than hosting a parade, President Tinubu will address a special joint session of the National Assembly at noon. The session is expected to focus on the state of the nation, Nigeria’s democratic trajectory, and renewed calls for national unity and enduring reform.
The day’s events will culminate in a public lecture at 4 p.m. at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja. Themed “Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy: Necessity of Enduring Reforms,” the lecture will feature government officials, political leaders, and civil society voices in dialogue on Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
The government urged citizens to tune into the president’s broadcast and join the broader national conversation on strengthening democratic institutions and governance.
