The National Assembly wants to institutionalise June 12 as the president’s annual State of the Nation Address. It will be delivered to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. The resolution came through a voice vote following a proposal by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, to the joint session of the House and the Senate held on Thursday to commemorate the 2025 Democracy Day.

The Senate President, in his usual manner of playing to the gallery, decided to put the issue to vote, right in the presence of President Tinubu, and after a voice vote informed the President that the National Assembly had passed a resolution making the June 12 address a State of the Union Address for the President.

This hurried resolution contradicts the carefully laid-out plan for legislation to institutionalise the State of the Union address, as explained by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, forty-eight hours earlier. Addressing journalists in his office, Senator Bamidele said, “We are hoping to bring a bill soon to institutionalise the President’s address on June 12 because of its historical importance. There can’t be a better time to address the nation through the Parliament than on June 12, especially since it is a joint sitting of the National Assembly,” Bamidele said.

He further disclosed that the proposed legislation would also seek to establish the National Assembly complex as the official venue for future presidential swearing-in ceremonies. The ceremony is usually held at Eagle Square.

But in the United States, the State of the Union Address is a requirement of the Constitution. Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution requires the President to periodically “give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

This speech serves as a platform for the President to outline their vision for the future, propose policies, and highlight their achievements. It is a tradition that fosters transparency and allows citizens to stay informed about the government’s agenda.

In the message, the President talks about critical issues facing Americans and offers his ideas on solving the nation’s problems, including suggestions for new laws and policies. It also serves as a means for the president to summarise the accomplishments and plans of the government’s program, both for the current year and for the remainder of their term.

President Tinubu’s speech fell below some of these expectations. During his speech, he mocked opposition parties, characterising one of them as a failing entity. The president’s speech even committed errors in conferring posthumous honours on living legends. The speech also showed that the President was partisan by not recognising honours to persons deserving of them because they do not belong to his political tendency.

In the United States, the State of the Union Address serves various purposes.

Agenda Setting: It provides an opportunity for the President to shape the national conversation and set the agenda for legislative action.

Policy Promotion: The address allows the President to advocate for specific policy initiatives and gain support for their legislative priorities.

Transparency and Accountability:/strong> By delivering the speech, the President demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability to the American people.