Nigeria@60: PDP Govs Salute Founding Fathers' Doggedness, Indomitable Spirit

 As Nigeria joins the prestigious Diamond Club, Governors under the aegis of the PDP Governors` Forum, have extended a congratulatory message to the good people of Nigeria. 

The governors said it is certainly a thing of joy that in spite of the challenges the nation has faced and the centrifugal forces that have been at play in the past 60 years, the common heritage of  Nigeria, to the glory of Almighty God, has remained intact, despite the country having gone through tough times and terrible difficulties which on many occasions brought her close to the edge of the precipice. 

These and more were contained in a press statement issued and signed on behalf of the forum members by Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman, PDP Governors` Forum.

Below is the unedited version of the statement:

“REFLECTIONS ON NIGERIA @ 60: THE PAST, PRESENT AND WAY FORWARD”

WE NEED A NATIONAL DIALOGUE

BEING TEXT OF THE MESSAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. AMINU WAZIRI TAMBUWAL, CFR, GOVERNOR OF SOKOTO STATE AND CHAIRMAN, PDP GOVERNORS` FORUM TO NIGERIA ON THE OCCASION OF HER DIAMOND JUBILEE, OCTOBER 1, 2020.

As our country, Nigeria, turns 60, it is a great milestone which calls for both celebrations and sober reflections. I wish to salute the doggedness and indomitable spirit of our founding fathers, who labored strenuously and expended the energies of their youth to ensure the birth of a new nation on October 1, 1960. Through the collective efforts and struggles of our founding fathers, the indomitable Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the ebullient Sir Ahmadu Bello, the graceful Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, and the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and their other notable compatriots, Nigeria achieved independence from British colonial domination. On this special occasion of the nation`s Diamond jubilee, we acknowledge the sacrifices of these founding leaders who gave us a hope for the future; a future that we could be proud of. 

2. On behalf of the PDP Governors` Forum, I congratulate the good people of Nigeria for this achievement. It is certainly a thing of joy that in spite of the challenges the nation has faced and the centrifugal forces that have been at play in these past years, our common heritage, Nigeria, to the glory of Almighty God, has remained intact. Our nation has gone through tough times and terrible difficulties which on many occasions brought her close to the edge of the precipice. But God, in His infinite mercies, has always pulled her back. 

3. Within only six years of her existence as a new nation, Nigeria witnessed a bloody coup d`etat that abruptly terminated the life of the new Republic and ushered in a military regime. This was followed by a counter coup and eventually a brutal civil war in which brothers were pitched against each other. Nigeria survived the war and subsequent counter coups that led to prolonged military rule in the country. These cataclysmic events shook the country to her foundations. That the nation pulled through these calamitous and momentous events could only be by the grace of divine Providence.

4. In the aftermath of these developments, the country has made progress in several areas of human endeavours from our modest beginnings in 1960. The progress is evident in the fields of education and human capital development, industrialisation and manufacturing, agriculture, diplomacy, health and human services, sports development, culture and tourism, and infrastructural development and in many other areas. Specifically, the nation has witnessed an exponential rise in the number of tertiary institutions and graduates. Through the strategy of import substitution and backward integration, had made not too impressive attempts of industrialisation in different parts of the country to grow our economy and provide employment to our people. In the field of diplomacy, the policy of concentric rings which makes Africa the centre-piece of our foreign policy ensured that Nigeria played a leading role in the decolonisation of Africa and liberation of Southern Africa in particular. Nigeria has won laurels in continental and global sporting competitions. In the area of infrastructure, we have built a brand new capital city in Abuja, the centre of unity, in addition to several highways, airports, sea ports and railway lines. The country has indeed made tangible progress. Indeed, the salient attributes that unite us are more numerous than the orchestrated factors that divide us.

5. The most remarkable of the nation`s achievement in the last sixty years is the attainment and consolidation of democratic political culture since 1999. It is gratifying to note that after many years of repressive rule under the military, the country has continued to enjoy an uninterrupted civilian democratic dispensation in the last 21 years. Within this period, the country has also witnessed a political transition from a civilian to a civilian government and from a ruling political party to an opposition party. These are commendable achievements that deserve celebrations.

6. In spite of these enviable strides, the reality on the ground today is neither cheering nor palatable. The nation appears to be on the reverse gear. With the current state of affairs in our country, it would appear that we are living on past glory. It is indeed sad to observe that the great promise and potentials which Nigeria represented at inception in 1960 have remained largely unfulfilled, mainly as a result of poor leadership, politics of prebendalism, ethno-religious dichotomies, unabating corruption in low and high places, lack of patriotism and social distrust amongst many other factors.

7. The Nigerian condition has continued to worsen with the prevalent social dichotomies widening the country`s existing fault-lines; and thereby posing great challenges to the quest for national integration and inter-ethnic unity and social harmony. It cannot be a measure of development that there is a mushrooming of ethnic and regional organizations and local militias competing with the State for attention. Today, Nigeria has to contend with herders-farmers clashes, banditry, terrorism, cultism, kidnappings for ransom, and agitations for self-determinations and militancy which have tended to drive a wedge in the chords that hold us together as one united people. Such indices do not bode well for the future of our dear country. The trend must not be allowed to continue. 

8. In the last five years, under the APC-controlled administration, Nigeria has continued on the downward slide into extreme decay, with the country displacing India as the poverty capital of the world, with an estimated 87 million Nigerians living on less than $1.9 US Dollars a day (Brooking Institute 2018). We as leaders must strive harder to make sure that poverty is minimised in all parts of the country.

This is even made worse by the fact that in 2019 Nigeria ranked 93rd out of 117 qualifying countries with a score of 27.9 below Guinea and Mali in the Global Hunger index.

It is also regrettable to note that the Buhari-led APC administration has plunged Nigeria deeper into the debt trap after the country had exited from its initial debt burden from the London and Paris Clubs under the PDP-led administration. It is indeed sad to observe that Nigeria’s external debt hit a 16 year high of $27 billion in December 2019, just higher than the $20.8 billion in external level as at 2005 when Nigeria exited from the club of its foreign creditors. Any loan acquired that is not directly tied to meaningful infrastructure that can help Nigeria progress should not be taken.

Our country under this same administration has also scored high on the global terrorism index, reaching an all-time high of 9.01% in 2016 and 8.6 in 2018 on the global terrorism index from an all-time low of 6.31% in 2010 to 7.9% in 2012 during the period the PDP was in power. This unfortunate situation has placed our nation in the league of countries deeply wrecked by terrorism such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria etc.

We feel the pains of Nigerians in the North East and North West and other parts of the country who are victims of terror in our land. It is indeed glaringly clear that the Boko Haram terrorists and other bandits have continued to make lives difficult for Nigerians in these areas putting a big lie to the APC-led Federal Government’s claim that Boko-Haram has been defeated. This Government has failed Nigerians on issues of security and the general welfare and wellbeing of our people.   

9. We, as leaders have a bounden responsibility to ensure that the current slide to atrophy is apprehended. There is no doubt that the country appears to be more divided today than ever before as result of divisive policies being pursued by the APC-led administration. This has given rise to increasing clamour within the polity for another look on how Nigeria is governed. As leaders, we must rise to the challenge.

10. What is the way forward? With the current myriad of challenges and the unprecedented opportunities presented by a growing educated and youthful population, the advent of the 3rd and 4th industrial revolution, it is time for leadership that will answer the yearnings of the millions of Nigerians who labour every single day for our great country. We must unite and give hope to the aspirations of the next generation. We cannot continue to plead indifference or remain helpless in the face of the challenges confronting us as a people. Nigeria is our common heritage. We must not allow the worsening social contradictions to destroy our country. At 60, we have indeed come of age. And we are optimistic that the nation can be rescued from the current slide. Given the evident social discontent within the polity, there is a need for a national conversation on the way forward for our beloved but beleaguered nation. In this conversation, modernisation of our economy to meet the challenges of technology, innovation is of crucial importance.

11. It is through such a national conversation or dialogue that we can find realistic and acceptable solutions to the problems that have continued to pose a threat to peaceful coexistence and national unity. I wish to appreciate what the National Assembly has done over the years in the alteration of the Constitution to strengthen our democracy. Given the magnitude of the problems in our polity today, the efforts of the National Assembly, should be enriched by the participation of relevant stakeholders. We need a national dialogue among the various groups and leaders in Nigeria to discuss and further agree on how to continue to make Nigeria a better place for all. 

12. In spite of everything, all hope is not lost. At 60, Nigeria is still a work in progress. Working together, we can reposition her for greatness. As we mark this milestone in the life of our nation, I urge all Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the service of the fatherland. Happy Independence Day. And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR

Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman, PDP Governors` Forum.