President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday urged Nigerians to keep faith with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration. He also appealed for support in the ongoing fight against corruption.
Buhari spoke at this year’s Democracy Day lecture which took place at the International Conference Centre in Abuja
This year’s event has as its theme: “Peacebuilding and good governance for sustainable development.”
In his speech, Buhari said: “Overall, we are on track, I thank and
commend all who have worked so hard with us to achieve these successes.
“I assure you that our people will continue to see and experience more progress, prosperity and greater security.”
Buhari specially thanked the United States government under President Barack Obama.
He said the country’s effort was one of the factors that ensured successful conduct of the 2015 elections.
Read his full speech below
“I am happy to join the array of eminent Nigerians present here
today, as we celebrate the 2018 Nigeria democracy day which marks the
3rd year of this administration and to reflect on the progress we have
made in our democratic journey and governance in the last three years.
“A government elected by the people, must continually be in touch
with the aspirations of the people, and work for their highest possible
good.
“The theme of this year’s celebration “Peace Building and Good
Governance for Sustainable Development’’ has been carefully selected to
reflect our current opportunities and challenges.
“We have experienced rough times, but through good governance we have
not allowed ourselves to be overawed by the existing of challenges.
Weak governance is often at the core of rising inequality and unequal
development resulting in social disruption and political unrest with
negative impacts on growth and development.
“Accordingly, we have engaged in several rounds of dialogue and town
hall meetings, targeted at peace building, between the aggrieved and in
some cases warring factions and communities. We have worked hard to
dialogue with and if they turn unreasonable decimate insurgents in
various parts of the country.
“We are still grappling but successfully, with border disputes and
restoring the much needed peaceful co-existence amongst our people and
neighbouring countries. The rebuilding of the North East is ongoing, to
return our internally displaced brothers, sisters and children to their
ancestral homes.
“Our resolve to fight corruption was informed by the realisation that
reducing corruption and ensuring the effective and just utilisation of
public resources, are crucial for achieving sustainable growth and
development in Nigeria. Corruption has been at the root of most of the
development challenges of our country. There can be no progress in any
facet of our national life unless we tackle and curb corruption.
“Good governance is the polar opposite to corruption. Accordingly, we
will not relent in our efforts to eliminate it regardless of the
opposition. It manifests itself in several forms including accelerating
poverty, conflicts and civil disturbances, as those who feel
short-changed, resort to violence and destruction.
“The security in the country today has considerably improved against
the background of what we met in May 2015. Incidences of bombings in
towns and villages have been drastically curtailed, series of plots have
been averted and stopped and culprits arrested through the vigilance,
patriotism and professionalism of our security agencies. The entire
country has been freed from occupation of any of its parts by
insurgents.
“While we grieve with our compatriots who have lost relatives and
properties, we are unrelenting in equipping and preparing our troops to
confront the agents of violence, who have been engaging in banditry and
reckless killings in various parts of the country under whatever guise,
until total victory is achieved. Again it is pertinent to note that
insurgency and terrorism are world-wide phenomena affecting even the
best policed nations.
“Our Economy is on the mend. We have achieved a good number of our
set objectives, notably increased food production and food security;
increased economic diversification into sectors that were hitherto
neglected or under-explored.
“Our foreign reserves have reached new heights and the outcome in
respect of investments in infrastructure expansion are manifest
everywhere.
“Overall, we are on track. I thank and commend all who have worked so
hard with us to achieve these successes. I assure you that our people
will continue to see and experience more progress, more prosperity and
greater security.
“Finally, I call on Nigerians to remain steadfast and to keep faith
with this Administration, as we remain committed to peace building and
good governance, to deliver the best of dividends of democracy to the
Nigerian people.”