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FULL TEXT of President Tinubu’s Democracy Day Speech
TEXT OF PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU’S NATIONAL BROADCAST ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNBROKEN DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA, DEMOCRACY DAY 12TH JUNE 2024.
1. My fellow Nigerians, let me begin by congratulating all of us for witnessing the celebration of another Democracy Day today, the 12th day of June 2024. This year also marks our nation’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.
2. On this day, 31 years ago, we entered our rites of passage to becoming a true and enduring democratic society.
3. Going through this passage was hard and dangerous. During the fateful six years that followed, we fought and struggled for our natural rights as human beings put on this earth by the divine hand of our Creator.
4. We lost great heroes and heroines along the way. In this struggle, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, the most significant symbol of our democratic struggle, his wife, Kudirat, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others sacrificed their very lives.
5. They bravely surrendered their futures, so that our nation might have a better one.
6. Let us honour the memories of Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chima Ubani, and others who have transited to the higher realm.
7. The sacrifices of General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Professor Wole Soyinka, Chief Ralph Obioha, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, among many others, should never be forgotten. For at least six years, they bore the pains and difficulties of life in exile.
8. While the exiled pro-democracy activists kept the fire burning, their comrades at home sustained the pressure on the military brass hats. Among the latter are Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Falana, Abdul Oroh, Senator Shehu Sani, Governor Uba Sani, Chief Olu Falae, and other National Democratic Coalition leaders such as Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Ayo Opadokun.
9. The sacrifices they made, and the precious gift brought about by their selfless devotion can never be repaid. Neither shall it be forgotten.
10. We could not have won the battle against military dictatorship without the irrepressible Nigerian journalists who mounted the barricades along with the pro-democracy activists. We celebrate them today, along with their media establishments such as The Punch, Guardian, National Concord, Tribune, The News/Tempo, and TELL Magazines. Military authorities proscribed these media establishments and jailed their journalists for standing for free speech and civil liberties.
11. Despite the lethal might of the military government, what appeared to be high and unyielding walls of dictatorship came tumbling down. The dismal fortress exists no longer.
12. The power of an idea, the power of the people proved more potent than all the guns and munitions, and the threats of the strongmen.
13. The nation exited the yoke of military rule in 1999 to become the most populous democracy on African soil, the beacon of democratic self-determination for the black race and one of the largest democracies in the world.
14. This change stands as a pivotal moment in human history. From this change, we shall never turn, nor shall the annals of mankind’s progress forget the sublime meaning of this great moment.
15. Today, 25 years later, we celebrate the silver anniversary of our journey in democracy.
16. We have steadied the course.
17. Democracy is neither a foreign nor abstract concept devoid of real-life meaning for us. Neither can we afford to reduce or minimalise it to being nothing but the mere holding of periodic elections where one candidate and party outdo another.
18. While elections attract dramatic attention, they are but one aspect of democracy. Democracy is a way of life that encompasses a broad outlook of which elections are but a part. As such, a nation can have elections without being democratic. But a nation cannot be truly democratic without holding elections.
19. That we have established a tradition of holding transparent, open, and fair elections gives credence to our democratic bearing. That we have experienced peaceful transitions of government affirms our democratic temperament.
20. Fellow Nigerians, true democracy shines its light into the daily lives of the people who live under its nurturing wings. It affords us the freedom and liberty to think as we want, live where we want and pursue whatever legitimate endeavour that suits us.
21. Democracy does not assume some false or forced unity of opinion. In fact, democracy assumes that conflicting ideas and differing opinions shall be the order of the day. Given the diversity and variety of the human experience, there must be diverse perspectives and viewpoints.
22. What democracy demands is that we do not resolve differences through force and repression. But we make allowance for the legitimacy of views that differ from our own.
23. Where other forms of government impose against the will of the people, democracy aims to make leaders sufficiently humble that they conduct themselves as servants of the common good, not as viceroys of the narrow interests of the mighty.
24. My dear compatriots, Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity twenty-five years ago: Whether to veer toward a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship.
25. We made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now.
26. As Nigerians, we must remind ourselves that no matter how complicated democracy may be, it is the best form of governance in the long run. We must also be aware that there are those among us who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy, this democracy for which so much has already been given.
27. These people do this not to make things better but to subject all other people and things to their control and dominance until the point that, if you are not counted among their elite, then your life will be small and no longer owned by you.
28. This is the great battle of our day and the major reason we specially celebrate this Democracy day.
29. Fellow Nigerians, our Democracy is more than a historic fact. It is a living, breathing reality.
30. The true meaning of this day is not to focus solely on the great deeds of the past that have brought us to this point.
31. Yes, we pay eternal honour to those who laid down their lives, sacrificing everything to pave the way for the nation.
32. I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
33. As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance. I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria.
34. Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life.
35. Although the challenges are steep and multiple, I am grateful to lead Nigeria at this moment in her history and point in her democratic journey.
36. I come before you also to declare that our most important work remains before us. This real test has never been whether we would rise to challenge the slings of misfortune and grievous pain of dictatorship.
37. The real test is whether we shall lower our guards as the shadow of despotism and its evident physical danger fade.
38. I say to you here and now that as we celebrate the enshrinement of our political democracy, let us commit ourselves to the fulfilment of its equally important counterpart, the realisation of our economic democracy.
39. I understand the economic difficulties we face as a nation.
40. Our economy has been in desperate need of reform for decades. It has been unbalanced because it was built on the flawed foundation of over-reliance on revenues from the exploitation of oil.
41. The reforms we have initiated are intended to create a stronger, better foundation for future growth. There is no doubt the reforms have occasioned hardship. Yet, they are necessary repairs required to fix the economy over the long run so that everyone has access to economic opportunity, fair pay and compensation for his endeavour and labour.
42. As we continue to reform the economy, I shall always listen to the people and will never turn my back on you.
43. In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organized labour on a new national minimum wage. We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.
44. In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.
45. No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution.
46. Reasoned discussion and principled compromise are hallmarks of democracy. These themes shall continue to animate my policies and interaction with the constituent parts of our political economy.
47. I take on this vital task without fear or favour and I commit myself to this work until we have built a Nigeria where no man is oppressed.
48. In the end, our national greatness will not be achieved by travelling the easy road. It can only be achieved by taking the right one.
49. The words of the American President Franklin Roosevelt certainly ring true:
” There are many ways of going forward. But only one way of standing still”!
50. We dare not slumber lest the good things awaiting our immediate future pass us by. We dare not plant our feet in idle standstill in the middle of the intersection of hope and despair.
51. We know the proper way forward and we shall take it!
52. The initial rays of a brighter tomorrow now appear on the early horizon. An abundant future and our capacity to achieve that future lie within our reach. Democracy and the institutions it begets offer to take us to our profound destination.
53. Let us board this progressive train together. Together, let us move Nigeria forward.
54. Let’s continue to keep the fire of democracy burning. Let’s keep the torch lit for generations to come.
55. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and preserve our democracy.
56. I wish us all Happy Democracy Day.
PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU
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By Francesca Hangeior.
At last, president Bola Tinubu has reshuffle his cabinet appointing seven new ministers.
This development is coming few months after growing calls for the President to rejig his cabinet.
In a statement issued by the presidency after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, president Tinubu re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation.
The president on Wednesday, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC), announced the sack of Uju-Ken Ohanenye as Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John as Minister of Tourism; Tahir Mamman as Minister of Education; Abdullahi Gwarzo as Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Jamila Ibrahim as Minister of Youth Development.
Tinubu subsequently nominated Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu as the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, while Nentawe Yilwatda as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, officially bringing an end to the tenure of suspended Betta Edu.
The President also nominated Maigari Dingyadi as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as the Minister of Industry, Idi Maiha as Minister for the newly created Livestock Development Ministry, Yusuf Ata as the Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, with Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State Education.
Earlier on Wednesday, the President scrapped the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Development and announced the Ministry of Regional Development as a replacement to oversee the activities of all the regional development commissions.
The regional development commissions to be under the supervision of the new Ministry are the Niger Delta Development Commission, the South East Development Commission, the North East Development and the North West Development Commission.
Tinubu also scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development and transferred its functions to the National Sports Commission to “develop a vibrant sports economy”.
The President further approved the merger of the Federal Ministry of Tourism and the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture to become the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
“The appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports
Commission.
“The appointment of Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser to the president on Public Communication and Orientation working from the ministry of Information and National Orientation,” the President said.
The President appreciated the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service to the nation while wishing them the best in their
future endeavours.
He then charged the newly appointed ministers as well as their reassigned colleagues to see their appointment as a call to serve the nation.
He added that all appointees must understand the administration’s eagerness and determination to set Nigeria on the path to irreversible growth and invest the best of their abilities into the actualisation of the government’s priorities.
It could be recalled that Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration.
The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while another, Simon Lalong, moved to the Senate.
There have been growing calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians are not impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.
In September, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the President would reshuffle his cabinet but didn’t give a time to the reorganisation.
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives is set to consider a constitutional amendment bill which is aimed to increase the derivation fund from the current “not less than 13 per cent” to “not less than 50 per cent”, to ensure the development of all Nigerian states and regions where mineral resources are being extracted.
The bill which was sponsored by Rep. Awaji-Inombek Abiante and 8 other lawmakers has been deferred for debate on Tuesday at plenary.
The decision by Speaker Tajudeen Abbass was arrived at when some lawmakers pleaded to be given copies of the bill to study when the bill was read for second time at plenary on Wednesday.
The bill seeks to alter section 162(2) of the 1999 constitution by deleting the words ‘not less than thirteen percent’ and inserting ‘not less than fifty percent’.
According to the general principle of the bill made available to Naijablitznews.com, the proposed piece of legislation is in response to the clamor of the present administration to righting the wrongs of previous regimes and by ensuring the practice of true federalism.
The sponsors of the Bill argued that the initiative is in tandem with the dream of the founding fathers of Nigeria.
They argued: “Let us indeed renew the hope not only of our founding fathers but also that of generations after us by the unanimous endorsement to review quickly and to amend the formula to not less than fifty percent (50%) according to the Independence Constitution of 1960 and the Republican Constitution of 1963 in Sections 134 {1 (a &b)} and 140 {1(a & b).
“It is noteworthy to add that including all revenues from VAT in this sharing arrangement will enhance competition among the states for increased productivity by making their environment friendlier for investment in order to increase their revenue. This is in tandem with the spirit of equity and justice.
“There has been discovery of one billion barrel of crude oil and gas in North-Eastern part of the country along the Chad Basin in neighboring Bauchi and Gombe states; there are gold fields in Zamfara, Niger, Osun, Kwara, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Edo and Bauchi states and also the FCT; tin mining in Plateau and Nasarawa state among others.
“The truth is, every state in Nigeria is endowed with mineral resources and this bill seeks to ensure that states and regions where these minerals are extracted from also have their revenues allocated according to the 50% derivation formula”.
Rep. Abiante argued that the current formular of revenue sharing renders the collective wisdom of our patriots/statesmen and their intellectual wisdom worthless.
He said: “The current ‘not less than thirteen percent’ derivation entrenched in the 1999 Constitution is grossly inadequate and a mis-representation of the Spirit of pre-independence negotiations and agreements.
“Even in the intent and desire to ensure the rehabilitation and development of the damaged environment where mineral resources (liquid, gaseous and solid) are derived for the sustenance and development of the whole country does not also seem achievable with the current practice of 13%.
“This Bill is not all about resource control but an attempt to address the myriads of issues bordering on the meager “not less than 13%” derivation fund payable to states on revenues derived from their environment as provided for in Section 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as (amended).
“It is important to state that this amendment is not only relevant for today, but also for the future. Some of us may feel that this section that we seek to amend makes no meaning to them, because, their states are not presently affected. But it is pertinent to ask, what about the future?
“Let us remember that every state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural resources capable of turning the economic fortunes of the country. The increased interest by Federal Government to reduce the dependence on oil and gas as the mainstay of our economy means attention will be shifted to the solid minerals”.
The lawmaker further stated that the huge environmental impacts of the exploitation of natural resources on the host communities are devastating, including pollution, hunger, insecurity and youth restiveness.
“The meager ‘not less than 13%’ derivation as presently provided for by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria encourages Illegal exploitation and mining of our natural resources. It is said he whose parents provides enough food does not bring disgrace to his parents by fighting for food outside. It is a truism that rich parents who do not provide enough food for their children despite having them in abundance can only encourage such children to pilfer from them.
“The illegal refineries that litter the entire Niger Delta region and illegal mining sites across some other parts of Nigeria are reflections of non-commitment of enough funds for the development of these areas.
“The deployment of enough funds means more development in terms of social, economic and security infrastructures. The various State Governments’ ability to build industries will keep the restive youths engaged and away from crimes, especially from the illegal mining and exploitation of natural resources.
“The eradication of illegal mining will mean more money for the Federal and the State governments to share for development purposes, besides the energy and the resources used in chasing and closing illegal operators would be channeled to fast-track the development and protection of the region and indeed any part of the Federation as presently is where mineral resource or any revenue is gotten for the running of the business of Governance, hence the urgent need to increase the derivation fund from “not less than thirteen percent” to “not less than fifty percent”.
“This menace of oil theft has become a threat to our national security and economy, hence the recent tour of the Niger Delta region by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Defence Staff, Minister of Defence, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief of Air Staff on the 26th of August, 2023 with the strong determination to fight illegal refineries.
“The revenue allocation formula as previously enshrined in both the Independence and Republican constitutions will certainly resolve this issue and make for greater patriotism and a sense of commitment from all. This sense of patriotism will reduce or totally eliminate oil theft and illegal mining as constantly reported.
“It will also make for greater development hinged on healthy competition as witnessed in the pre-independence Nigeria and the First Republic where we had the famous Cocoa House, the University of Ibadan, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the University of Ife as it was then called, the famous groundnut pyramid in Kano, the foundation for the eventual establishment of the Ahmadu Bello University, the Western Nigeria Television and several others”.
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill to enact the Nigerian National Honours and Merit Award Commission.
This piece of legislation which seeks to
establish a Commission to regulate matters related to national honours and merit award was sponsored by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Rep. Babajimi Benson.
The bill tittled “A bill for an act to repeal national honours act, Cap. N43 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 and
Nigerian national merit award act, Cap. N122 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 and enact the Nigerian national honours and merit award commission to, among other things, provide for
establishment of a commission to regulate matters related to national honours and merit award in Nigeria and for related matters (HB.05).
In his lead debate on Wednesday at plenary, Rep. Benson said that the objectives of the bill is to repeal the Nigerian National Honours Act and the Nigerian National Merit Award Act and enact the Nigerian National Honours and Merit Award Act to establish a single commission that will fuse the functions of the respective Governing Boards and regulate matters pertaining to the National Honours and Merit award.
The highlights of the bill are: “Section 1 which establishes one Commission known as the Nigerian National Honours and Merit Award Commission;Section 2 which establishes one governing Board with membership that reflect the federal character of the country;Section 5 which prescribes the functions of the commission;Section 7 which provides for nomination and disqualification.
“The bill which is contained in sub section 3 of section 7 makes it possible for a person to loose and be divested of an honour or award previously given to him if at any time he falls within those disqualified under this proposed Bill.
“Section 22 is the repeal section while section while section 24 prescribes the offences”.
Benson further explained that under the Nigerian National Honours Act, the main objective of the National Honours is to recognize members of the society who have made immerse contributions to national development as incentives to do more and to encourage other members of the society to contribute to nation building.
According to him, it is a way of the leadership of the country tell the citizens that there is no alternative to hard work, honesty, integrity and excellence.
“A National Honour is the highest honour a citizen can receive from his country for service to his country. On the flip side, under section 1 sub-section 1 of the Nigerian National Merit Award Act, the Merit Award is to be given to deserving citizens of Nigeria for intellectual and academic attainments that contribute to national endeavours in science, technology, medicine, the humanities, arts and culture and any other field of human endeavour whatsoever.
“From the provisions of both existing laws that their objectives are to recognize and reward excellence in whatever manner. Both the Nigerian National Honours Act and the Merit award Act established a governing Board with staff who must be paid salaries, allowances and other benefits.
“A careful scrutiny of both Acts established the fact that there is no function so heavy and cumbersome in respect of nomination of persons for national honours and merit award that one governing Board cannot handle especially at a time that all stakeholders are ad idem with the proposal of merging government bodies that perform similar functions to reduce cost of governance thereby making available more resources to disseminate dividends of democracy to the citizens.Also, it does appears that both Acts have become obsolete.
“While the Nigerian National Honours Act was enacted in 1964, the Merit Awards Act was enacted in 1992. It is therefore not surprising that certain provisions that will give credibility to the National Honours and National Merit Award were not contemplated.
“For instance, both Acts did not contemplate a situation where the Honours and the merit award are erroneously given to persons of questionable character or persons whose character has become questionable over time”.
The House passed the bill and referred it to its Commitee on Intergovernmental affairs.
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