By Akinwande Onadeko

A bill titled ‘Presidential Inauguration Bill, 2016’ has passed second reading in the senate. The bill seeks to provide the inauguration of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be moved to the National Assembly. The bill was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who seeks to align presidential inauguration in the country with advanced democracies of the world.

He explained that the bill sought to move the inauguration of the President and Vice President from Eagle Square to the National Assembly but it would not prevent the Chief Justice of Nigeria from swearing in the president and the vice.

He also stated that the bill further provided the inauguration of the president-elect and the vice president-elect be held at the Arcade of the National Assembly where the people were represented.

Consequently, the bill was approved to be read a second time by the senate before it was referred to the Senate Committee on Special Duties for further consideration.