Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has asked Nigerians to unite for the progress of the country and continue to keep faith.
Ahmad Lawan, made this known in a statement released by his Media Special Adviser, Ola Awoniyi in Abuja.
According to the Senate President, this is the first year of our seventh decade as a nation and also the second year of the third decade of the Fourth Republic.
“I find it remarkable that we are living in the longest era of democracy in our history as a nation. That may seem modest as an achievement but it is an additional cause for celebration in the light of our political experience. This moment symbolizes our attainment of freedom from colonial rule. But it also marks the beginning of the onerous task of building a united, peaceful and prosperous nation that we set for ourselves” he said.
“Over six decades on, the journey has been eventful and the challenges enormous. But we can be proud of the progress that we have made, draw lessons from the missteps and rededicate ourselves to our historic mission of nation-building. We should never abandon that mission”.
“Our founding fathers encountered difficulties from the diversity of our people and country. But they realized that the feature is not unique to us and so they wisely embraced it as a potential source of strength. That is why they resolutely bound us into an indissoluble union. They had a dream of a diverse, united and prosperous Nigeria as a beckon of hope to Africa and the entire Black World.
“We must keep the torch of that dream of our founding fathers burning and hand it over to the next generation of Nigerians.The founding fathers got nothing on a silver platter. Their dream of a glorious future for Nigeria inspired them in confronting the challenges of their time.”
“It is in this regard that I will again encourage all Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing process of constitutional review at the National Assembly”.
“The National Assembly is determined to facilitate a meaningful review of the Constitution by the people, to ensure that the instrument continues to serve its purpose and to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians” He reiterated.
“A people-oriented Constitution will address the frictions that we are currently witnessing and this is why the National Assembly is taking very seriously this national assignment. The National Assembly will always provide the necessary legislative interventions to strengthen the processes and encourage popular participation”.
The Senate President explained that the National Assembly was about to harmonize the positions of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the Electoral Reform Bill.He expressed confidence that the Bill would enhance the improvement in electoral process.
“Let us keep faith with Nigeria and continue as one people to work for our collective security and prosperity. May God continue to bless Nigeria,” Lawan concluded.