APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is committed to diligently fulfilling every component of his electoral pact with the people as enshrined within the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
In a nationwide broadcast on Monday to mark the country’s Democracy Day, Tinubu noted the challenges faced by Nigerian citizens at this moment in the nation’s history and urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves to strengthening the government of free peoples that has been the nation’s guiding light within the past 24 years.
He also urged Nigerians never to take democracy for granted. “We must forever jealously guard and protect it like a precious jewel. For, a people can never truly appreciate the freedoms and rights democracy guarantees them until they lose it.
“We have traversed the dark, thorny path of dictatorship before and those who experienced it can readily testify to the unbridgeable gap between the dignity of freedom and the humiliation and degradation of tyranny. True, rancorous debates, interminable wrangling, ceaseless quarrels, bitter electoral contestations may be perceived by some as unattractive features of democracy. But they also testify to its merit and value,” he said.
While stating that this year, Nigeria held her seventh in the cycle of elections that have become sacred rituals to her democratic practice in the dispensation since 1999, Tinubu opined that the Nigeria’s democracy is well and alive.
According to him, in spite of the fact that the polls are intensely contested is in itself positive evidence that democracy is well and alive in our land and that it is only natural that even as those who won and experienced victory in the various elections are elated and fulfilled, those who lost are disenchanted and disappointed.
“But the beauty of democracy is that those who win today can lose tomorrow and those who lose today will have an opportunity to compete and win in the next round of elections,” he said.
Speaking on the election that brought him into power, Tinubu said that a level of sportsmanship was expected to be seen in all who seek elective position, in that they may win or lose, but must do so in good spirit.
“Those who cannot endure and accept the pain of defeat in elections do not deserve the joy of victory when it is their turn to triumph. Above all, those who disagree with the outcome of the elections are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions to seek redress in court and that is one of the reasons why democracy is still the best form of government invented by man,” he said.
He paid tribute to Chief MKO Abiola, the symbol of this day, in whose memory June 12 became a national holiday, democracy is eternal.
“It is about rule of law and vibrant judiciary that can be trusted to deliver justice and strengthen institutions. It has become imperative to state here that the unnecessary illegal orders used to truncate or abridge democracy will no longer be tolerated,” he said.
For President Tinubu, the recent harmonization of the retirement age for judicial officers is meant to strengthen the rule of law, which is a critical pillar of democracy. “The reform has just started,” he added.
On the removal of subsidy, Tinubu, stated that the removal of subsidy would free the nation from the shackles of poverty and that it would “free up for collective use the much-needed resources, which had hitherto been pocketed by a few rich”.
“I admit that the decision will impose extra burden on the masses of our people. I feel your pain. This is one decision we must bear to save our country from going under and take our resources away from the stranglehold of a few unpatriotic elements.
“Painfully, I have asked you, my compatriots, to sacrifice a little more for the survival of our country. For your trust and belief in us, I assure you that your sacrifice shall not be in vain,” he said.
He assured that the government he is leading will repay Nigerians through massive investment in transportation infrastructure, education, regular power supply, healthcare and other public utilities that will improve the quality of lives.
President Tinubu assured that his administration would be faithful to truth, equity and justice and that the government would exercise its “authority and mandate to govern with fairness, respect for the rule of law, and commitment to always uphold the dignity of all our people”.
GIK/APA