To commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day, Senator Barau Jibrin, the Deputy President of the Senate, has called on citizens to remain committed to promoting national unity and to support the government’s efforts in transforming the country’s fortunes positively.
His appeal coincided with the federal government’s declaration of Tuesday, October 1, as a public holiday to celebrate Nigeria’s liberation from colonial rule.
In a statement released by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir, Senator Jibrin urged those planning protests on this day to reconsider their intentions.
He reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to reviving the economy and addressing the challenges facing the nation, including insecurity.
“Fellow Nigerians, happy Independence Day. As we celebrate this significant anniversary, we must remember the sacrifices made by our founding fathers—Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
“We must recommit ourselves to the ideals they preached, including national unity, peace, justice, and tolerance,” he stated.
Acknowledging the challenges the country faces at 64, Senator Jibrin expressed optimism, stating, “We will overcome them by God’s grace. We will come out stronger.
“Let’s continue to support President Tinubu in actualizing his policies and programmes. He has good intentions for the country. We will get it right.”
As the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Jibrin assured Nigerians that under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the parliament would work diligently to support good governance and enact necessary legislation to advance the executive’s initiatives.
Following a recent retreat of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Kano, which he chairs, Senator Jibrin highlighted the committee’s commitment to amending the constitution to reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.
He commended President Tinubu for appointing members to the Governing Board of the North West Development Commission, emphasizing this as a testament to the president’s dedication to addressing the challenges in the North West geopolitical zone.
“Together, we can forge a more robust and inclusive constitutional framework for our beloved nation, Nigeria, as we seek to build a brighter future for all our citizens,” he concluded.
In a related development, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called for integrating the African Union’s Agenda 2063 into Nigeria’s national development strategy.
He emphasized that as Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigeria’s alignment with the AU framework would set a model for other African countries.
Kalu pointed out that many of Nigeria’s current initiatives, under President Tinubu‘s leadership, already align with this vision, particularly in areas like economic diversification, youth empowerment, and good governance.
