World leaders are safe to attend Democracy Day event, says FG

• Declares May 29, June 12 public holidays
• Buhari visits Imo today

The Federal Government has said that Nigeria is safe for invited world leaders to attend the country’s Democracy Day celebration on June 12, 2019.

The government also declared May 29 and June 12, 2019 as public holidays.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke during a world press conference in Abuja yesterday, said that the presidential inauguration ceremony on May 29 would still hold as scheduled but would be on low-key.

According to the minister, “there will be no full-blown celebration on May 29 because the government wants to cut down on cost.”

He said a number of the events slated for the inauguration would now be held during the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day.

Besides, he assured all foreign dignitaries invited by the Federal Government for the Democracy Day celebration that Nigeria is very safe as there is no cause for worry.

He made the clarification to clear the air on recent comments by the military that some unnamed individuals want to truncate democracy.

Mohammed said he had no reason to doubt if the alarm by the military was genuine, saying: “Those who ought to be invited would be invited.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to pay a one-day visit to Imo State today.

According to a statement yesterday by Chief Press Secretary to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Sam Onwuemeodo, the President would inaugurate some landmark projects executed by the outgoing administration of Okorocha.