In their various Independence Day addresses, on Thursday, many of the state governors preached peaceful coexistence in the country even as they admitted that Nigeria had not reached the heights its founding fathers envisaged.
Kano
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje urged Nigerians to forge a common front and enjoy the freedom gained since 1960 as the nation celebrates independence.
- Fayemi leads govs to Borno, says Zulum shows more interest in people’s lives
- Ex-govs caution against divisive tendencies
He said Nigerians must commend our forefathers who fought hard for the country to attain nationhood.
“We all need to be steadfast and forge a common front, so that we can use and enjoy the freedom we gained in the last 60 years as a nation.
“We must also commend our forefathers who fought for our common goal,” he said.
“Nigerians must join hands to forge ahead, so as to make the nation greater at all times,” he added.
Gombe
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya reminded Nigerians of the sacrifice of the nation’s founding fathers and enjoined them to continue to unite in building a stronger nation.
He said: “For us in Gombe State, it is a double celebration as we mark Gombe at 24 and Nigeria at 60.
“Today, we remind ourselves of the sacrifice of our heroes past and the essence of good and exemplary leadership in building a nation of our dream”.
“In Gombe, we’re laying the foundation for sound economic, social and political order for all and we are committed to making sure that the dividends of democracy trickle down to the grassroots through the provision of people oriented projects.
Ogun
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun on his part blamed Nigeria’s woes on failure of past leaders to take “painful but necessary decisions.”
He stressed the need for the current leaders to summon courage and take tough decisions for the good of the present generation and to build a strong foundation on which generations to come can improve on.
Abiodun noted that though the country was facing numerous challenges, the fact that it was still standing and moving forward calls for celebration.
“The failure in the past of taking these decisions is what led us to where we are today and the situation we find ourselves.
“It is therefore very imperative that we summon courage now, and pool our shared will to take these tough decisions for the good of the present generation and building a strong foundation on which on-coming generations can build,” he said.
Bayelsa
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, harped on the importance of unity and peace as Nigeria and Bayelsa mark their 60th and 24th anniversaries respectively.
Diri urged Nigerians to promote the things that unite the people as the nation has much in common than those things that divide it.
He advised Bayelsans to focus more on promoting unity, peace and sustainable development rather than dissipate energy on issues that cause disunity.
The governor stressed the need to honour the memory of those that fought for the country’s political freedom to liberate the people from the shackles of poverty, ignorance, injustice and underdevelopment.
Benue
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom urged leaders in the country to take steps to correct unpleasant situations and suggested a sovereign national conference where a binding resolution on Nigerians would be reached.
He blamed the country’s woes on leaders, including himself, stressing that the challenges bedeviling the country were beyond ethnicity, blackmail and partisan politics.
Ortom said, “As leaders we’ve failed from the top to the bottom in this nation.
“If I’m permitted, I will ask forgiveness from Nigerians on behalf of the leaders because nothing in this country is working.
“The challenges of Nigeria are beyond ethnicity, party politics and blackmail. Failure is failure, we’ve failed and must accept the fact so we can work towards a new Nigeria at 60,” he said.
Plateau
Plateau Governor and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Bako Lalong, said the unity, peace and prosperity of Nigeria remain an objective that requires the contribution of all citizens.
“Ours is a great nation endowed by God in all aspects and we must continue to work together in eliminating all the factors that have held us back from attaining our potentials and the dream of our forefathers.
“The achievements we have recorded in various fields such as education, health, sports, science, agriculture, infrastructure and technology among others are a clear indication that we can hold our own in the comity of nations.
“What is needed is for us to be united and remove corruption, intolerance and other negative tendencies that disrupt our growth,” he said.
Edo
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki urged Nigerians to stay together, saying “though there is anger and frustration in the land but there is hope for the country.”
He said Nigeria’s democracy had come to stay and his recent victory at the polls was an indication that credible election was still possible.
He said the last couple of elections had threatened Nigeria’s democracy and the country was approaching a situation where Nigerians were losing hope and beginning to question the purpose of democracy.
Kaduna
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State charged Nigerians to reflect on governance and how powers and responsibilities are devolved between the states and the federal government.
While calling on residents of the state to continue to do their utmost for peace and harmony in their various communities, he sympathized and commiserated with all those affected by the security challenges all over the state.
“As a state government, we are doing our utmost to support the security agencies to address these challenges,” he said.
To commemorate the Independence Day, the governor ordered the release of 25 convicts from the state Correctional Centre.
He also commuted the death sentence of nine other convicts to life imprisonment.
Borno
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum said with the level of support being received, the optimism for peace and recovery had continually increased.
Zulum, in a statement he signed, said: “Our hope is as fresh as our trust and confidence in our gallant armed forces and volunteers who have shown great sacrifice and overriding commitment to our shared desire for a peaceful Borno, a peaceful Northeast and a peaceful Nigeria.
“We have the same trust and confidence in the leadership of our armed forces led by the Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Mr President has, without doubt, consistently given us listening ears with clear evidence of compassion for Borno and the genuine will to end Boko Haram crisis which is Nigeria’s most pressing problem.”
Rivers
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said the state would continue to promote the unity of the country and ensure peaceful coexistence of all residents.
He said Nigeria’s development would remain stunted without strong institutions that would promote devolution of power.
He said it was time for Nigerians to confront core political and economic issues hampering sustained growth.
Bauchi
- Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed on Thursday visited the tomb of former Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Tafawa as part of the celebration of the 60th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, calling on Nigerian politicians to emulate his legacies.
The governor, in company of state government officials, offered special prayers, saying Balewa was being remembered because of his vision not only for Nigeria, but for Africa.
Mohammed said he paid tribute to the Late Prime Minister to emulate his leadership legacies in a bid to contribute towards deepening democracy and to make Nigeria great.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
