The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan disclosed in Abuja on Sunday that the 10th National Assembly , will be inaugurated on Tuesday , June 13, 2023.
Lawan who unwittingly made the disclosure while having in audience a special envoy of the President of Republic of Korea for inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the 16th President of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday, sought better collaboration between Nigeria and Korea Parliament.
He told the Korean delegation, led by Mr Kab Yoon Jeong, that Nigerian and Korean Parliaments should work together and exchange visits with a view to creating a better relationship.
He said, “The next Assembly which will be inaugurated on the 13th of June , will look into working for a Nigeria’s National Assembly-Korean Parliament relationship so that we have a joint committee that will be involved in exchange of visits between the parliaments.
” That will create better relationship not only with the countries as it is, which is largely at the moment, concentrated on the executive side of government but also to have the parliaments of Korea and Nigeria exchange visits and working together to enhance the relationship between our two countries”.
Inauguration of new Assembly is always done as directed in proclamation issued by President of the country.
Since the outgoing 9th National Assembly ,was inaugurated on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 which falls on a Sunday this year and Monday , June 12 , being public holiday, Lawan by his calculation , picked Tuesday, June 13 , 2023 as inauguration day for the 10th National Assembly while still awaiting proclamation to that effect.
He explained to his guests why the Presidential inauguration event scheduled for Monday is a big deal to Nigeria.
“For us, it is a big deal because this is the first time that democracy in Nigeria will witness this long period of sustainability and we are very optimistic that democracy is taking a very strong root in Nigeria and we don’t expect anything that will stop this development of our democracy to a higher and broader level,” he said.
Lawan assured the delegation that Nigeria would take a leading role in the Africa-Korea summit being planned for next year.
“Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and therefore when there will be Africa-Korea Summit, Nigeria will lead the other African countries and I want to assure you that we are going to participate fully in that Africa-Korea summit,” he said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr Jeong made a case for closer cooperation between Nigeria and Korea and also invited the leadership of the Nigerian Parliament to the 2024 Africa-Korea Summit being planned by President Yoon Suk Yeol administration of Republic of Korea.