Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin
The Kwara State Governor, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has elicited the support of all Nigerians in nurturing the nation’s fragile democracy to a vibrant, strong and prosperous one.
In his Democracy day message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, Governor Ahmed said all advanced democracies of the world had passed through turbulent times but survived through dialogue and citizens’ commitment to democratic norms.
As Nigeria approaches another election year, Governor Ahmed called on politicians to abhor hate speeches and incitement of the people against constituted authorities.
The Governor, who admitted that the state was challenged because of the fall in federally allocated revenue, explained that the ingenuity of his government in reforming the revenue generation platforms had launched the state among few viable states in the country with self sustaining capacity.
Governor Ahmed said his government had invested heavily in human capital development with the setting up of International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurial College, Ajase-Ipo, injection of over two billion naira to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other incentives to support the informal sector.
He assured Kwarans that all the ongoing developmental projects would be taken to completion levels in a bid to bridge infrastructural deficit and guarantee sustainable economic growth in the state.
Governor Ahmed also promised even development of the state, saying that no section of the state would be left out in the provision of amenities.
In a related message, the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Doctor Ali Ahmad says irrespective of the challenges encountered over the years, democratic culture is evolving steadily in the country.
Doctor Ali Ahmad, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Shuaib Abdulkadir, to commemorate Nigeria’s nineteen years of uninterrupted democratic governance, stressed that it could only get better.
He noted that one of the problems threatening the nation’s democracy is the inability of the three arms of government to function independently.
The Speaker maintained that though every arm of government must find means to accommodate one another for the good of the citizens, it was expedient that they work collectively but independently as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.
Doctor Ali Ahmad who further noted that though the achievements recorded might be short of the citizens’ expectations in all ramifications, there were signs that as a nation, we have continued to learn from the past mistakes.
He challenged governments at all level to work assiduously towards ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach all the nooks and crannies of the country.
Doctor Ali Ahmad appreciated various roles played by individuals, group of people and social groups towards the attainment of the ‘hard earn democracy
Similarly, the leader of the new Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje called on leaders to sacrifice more for the unity, progress and development of Nigeria.
Alhaji Baraje also appealed to the citizens to be more committed to the unity of the country, by avoiding religious bigotry, ethnicity and acts that could cause divisions in the country.
In a statement issued to journalists in Ilorin to celebrate this year’s democracy day, he noted that the country would soon witness positive change and stressed the need for Nigerians to elect credible, agile, capable and trustworthy people into different political positions in the forthcoming polls.
Alhaji Baraje, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) called on the three arms of government to work independently and follow the constitution strictly in the discharge of their duties to guarantee dividends of democracy for Nigerians.
He charged traditional and religious leaders to always play advisory roles by counseling and guiding the leaders and followers to the right direction and ensure that the leaders are committed to the development of the nation.
