Gyang Bere, Jos
A former member, representing Jos South/ Jos East Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Edward Pwajok (SAN), has said that the declaration of June 12 as democracy day by President Muhammadu Buhari is in line with the popular view of Nigerians.
He noted that the earlier proclamation made by the President had no legal backing until he took the initiative and sponsored a bill that passed through the Senate and House of Representatives, and was signed into law by the President.
Pwajok said in an interview with Journalists in Jos that, “the President made a proclamation on June 12, but it wasn’t backed up by the law. We are not under Military regime. There is what is called Public Holidays Act which regulates the declaration of Public Holidays in Nigeria and that has to pass through the National Assembly before the assent of the President.
“Without the National Assembly amending the holidays Act, there is no way the President’s proclamation would have become effective. I now took the initiative to sponsor a bill to that effect and it passed through the Senate and House of Representatives. That is why today we now have democracy day changed from May 2019 to June 12.”
With the bill, he said, June 12 remains binding on all Nigerians.