GRPolitics
President Buhari’s Democracy Day 2022 Speech
“We must never forget the sacrifices of the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy during 1993…”
In his last Democracy Day speech on June 12 2022 as the President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari promises a free, fair and transparent electoral process during the 2023 general elections.
The President’s Democracy Day Speech:
Fellow Nigerians, Today, June The 12th, marks another Democracy Day anniversary and an occasion to celebrate freedom and unity of our Nation.
2. From 1999, we consistently celebrated Democracy Day to mark the end of military rule and the return of power and control into the hands of those freely elected by the people. On this day, Nigerians recommit themselves to ensuring we protect and preserve the ideals of democracy.
3. In 2018, we moved Democracy Day from 29th of May to the 12th of June. This change was to remind all Nigerians of one free election after which the presumed winner along with Nigerians were denied their rights and their choice.
4. On June 12th 1993, Nigerians saw the best in our citizens as we all went out to vote peacefully. By June 24th 1993, we also saw the worst of our leadership as the elections were annulled.
5. We must never forget the sacrifices of the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy during 1993. Their patriotism and peaceful struggle should guide our actions especially when it comes to electing our leaders and holding them accountable, now and in future.
6. Fellow Nigerians this is my last Democracy Day speech as your President. By June 12th, 2023, exactly one year from today, you will already have a new President. I remain committed and determined to ensure that the new President is elected through a peaceful and transparent process.
7. It is important for all of us to remember that June 12th, 2023 will be exactly 30 years from the 1993 Presidential elections. In honour and memory of one of our national heroes for democracy, Chief M.K.O Abiola, GCFR, we must all work together to ensure this transition is done in a peaceful manner.
8. I am hopeful that we can achieve this. The signs so far are positive. Recently, all registered political parties conducted primaries to select their candidates for the 2023 general elections.
9. These primaries were peaceful and orderly. Those who won were magnanimous in their victories. Those who lost were gracious in defeat. And those aggrieved opted to seek judicial justice as opposed to jungle justice.
10. I followed the party primaries closely from the state level to the Presidential level. I was very impressed to see across all the political parties that, most candidates ran issued based campaigns. The language and tone throughout were on the whole measured and controlled.
11. Another positive that came from the 2022 party primaries was the significant increase in women and youth particularly across all parties. I was very pleased to see this development. This augurs well for the future. These trends clearly show the level of maturity our democracy has achieved in the last 23 years.
12. As we move into the general election campaign season, we must sustain this mature attitude to campaigning and ultimately, voting. We must never see it as a “do or die” affair. We must all remember democracy is about the will of the majority. There must be winners and losers.
13. I will therefore take this opportunity on this very special day to ask all candidates to continue running issue focused campaigns and to treat opponents with dignity. As leaders, you must all showcase high character and never forget that the world is watching us and Africa looks up to Nigeria to provide example in governance. The tone you set at the top will surely be replicated in your followers.
14. For the voters, I am pleased to inform you that in the last 7 years, our government across all tiers, has made significant investments to reform and enhance our electoral laws, systems, and processes to safeguard your votes.
15. The Executive, Legislature and Judiciary were and still remain united and committed to ensure these reforms are fully implemented in the 2023 general elections. Fellow Nigerians, your right to choose your government will be preserved and protected.
16. I know many of us are concerned with the rise in insecurity due to terrorist activities in parts of the country. As a government, we are working hard to contain and address these challenges. And ensure that the 2023 general elections are safe and secure for all Nigerians.
17. To achieve this however, we must all contribute. It is not the job of government alone. I ask all citizens to support and cooperate with our security agencies by reporting any suspicious characters and activities to law enforcement agencies. We can only have a safe country if we are able to prevent crime not after the crime has been committed.
18. On this special day, I want us all to put all victims of terrorist activities in our thoughts and prayers. I am living daily with the grief and worry for all those victims and prisoners of terrorism and kidnapping. I and the security agencies are doing all we can to free those unfortunate countrymen and countrywomen safely.
19. For those who have lost their lives, we will continue to seek justice for their families against the perpetrators. For those currently in captivity, we will not stop until they are freed, and their kidnappers are brought to justice. If we all unite, we will be victorious against these agents of terror and destruction.
20. We have reformed some of our security structures. Some of the defence assets we procured three years ago have arrived and have been deployed.
21. Our cyber security and surveillance systems are being upgraded to further enhance our ability to track and trace criminal elements. We are also recruiting and training new personnel across all our security and intelligence agencies to strengthen the country’s over-all security.
22. I will conclude this Democracy Day speech, my last as President, by assuring you of my commitment to protect Nigeria and Nigerians from all enemies from within and outside.
23. I am also promising you a free, fair and transparent electoral process. And I am pleading with all citizens to come together and work with Government to build a peaceful and prosperous nation.
24. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
GRPolitics
Centre for CSR West Africa calls on Political Parties to embrace Sustainable Leadership
Reporter: SANDRA ANI
The Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), West Africa, a leading CSR and sustainability advocacy organisation in the sub-region since 2015 has called on political parties in Ghana, especially the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC) to embrace and place sustainability at the forefront of their agendas as Ghanaians prepare to vote in a highly competitive general elections this December 7.
In a statement released by the Centre, Mr. John Kojo Williams, the co-founder and lead project manager, espoused that: “Globally, we are at the crossroads of sustainability, our environmental challenges are increasing, climate change is impacting negatively on our society.
Ghana is not exempted from these daunting issues as our rainfall patterns are becoming erratic and continue to adversely affect agriculture. Additionally, rising sea levels are threatening our coastal communities.
As a polity, we must embrace the evolving global trends, our political leaders must recognize the urgent need to take action and our policymakers must prioritize sustainability to safeguard the livelihoods of Ghanaians and the prosperous country every political party plans to achieve for Ghana.
He emphasized: “We must integrate sustainability into the policies we are developing and these could include support for renewable energy initiatives, sustainable agriculture practices, and eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. These are practical steps we can implement to help Ghanaian businesses become competitive in a global market that values sustainability. So, in embracing sustainability, everyone has a role to play. Our political parties, leadership of the business community, government agencies and sustainability advocacy organisations must lead the way to a sustainable Ghana.”
The Centre for CSR, West Africa is notable for its CSR and sustainability advocacy projects and events such as the National CSR and Sustainability Conferences and the highly-stringent Ghana CSR Awards (GHACEA). These initiatives, the Centre noted, have helped create better and deeper understanding of the concept of CSR and sustainability among some Ghanaian-owned companies and compelled international companies operating in Ghana, to localise and implement sustainable initiatives they obtain from their headquarters that are usually based in Europe, Asia or the United States.
According to a CSR and sustainability research conducted by Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge UK, which the Centre for CSR West Africa contributed to, Ghana needs to intensify efforts at creating more awareness about sustainability and making it a centrepiece conversation in boardrooms in Ghana. The research also noted that a few Ghanaian-owned businesses are gradually emulating best sustainability practices from the multinational counterparts, as they make effort to replicate projects and initiatives implemented by these companies, but on a smaller scale.
Mr. Williams noted that: “Ghana is a signatory to the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so, all political parties, especially the NPP and the NDC, must commit to establishing an enduring legacy of progress and innovation by embracing and priotizing sustainability in their quest to build a more resilient future for Ghana.”
The Centre for CSR, West Africa at a glance:
- The Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), West Africa, is a leading CSR and sustainability strategy development and policy advocacy organisation in the sub-region.
- Founded in 2015, the Centre’s flagship national CSR seminars, conferences, awards and events have been attended by leading local and multinational companies, government agencies, academia, regulatory agencies and civil society organisations in Ghana, Nigeria and across West Africa.
- The Centre for CSR, West Africa is at the forefront of helping all major actors in the CSR and sustainability spectrum demystify the misconceptions around sustainability, deepen understanding on sustainable global trends, develop localised sustainable plans and programmes for the private sector, advise government and regulatory organisations on sustainability policies, and assist in implementing strategies that foster them.
GRPolitics
With Commitment, Resilience We’ll Defeat Banditry and Terrorism – Badaru
…it is time to end it…Reports SANDRA ANI
The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian Airforce to intensify the use of their various platforms to bring an end to banditry and terrorism.
According to the Minister, you are key to this this fight and we must put our acts together on your active component to end this war.
In a statement signed by Henshaw Ogubike, director information and Public Relations, Badaru said this during his operational visit to the Air Component Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA at Katsina state on Monday 18th November 2024.
The Honourable Minister appreciated the heroic Air warriors who has continued to shine as beacons of hope, courage and resilience which is an inspiration to Nigerian people.
Furthermore, “the Minister opined that their efforts are yielding positive results as farmers are gradually returning to their farms, schools are reopening, businesses are picking up and Nigerians can now sleep peacefully.”
According to the Minister, the President and commander in chief of the Armed forces Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has expressed confidence on their unwavering loyalty, perseverance and professionalism. He recognizes the personal sacrifices you make every day to keep our country together.
It is pertinent to know that the President has provided the Nigerian Airforce with state of the art Aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance their attack capabilities. With the induction of these new platforms including the T129 Attack Helicopter, ” I am confident we will make Mr President and Nigerians proud.”
Consequent to this, ‘it is no coincidence that I am here today to flag off this critical phase of the Operations’. “I therefore urge you to synergize with the ground forces and other stakeholders to ensure maximum effect from these combat enablers” Badaru said.
The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON mni continued his operational visit by also going to sokoto to inspect the combat readiness of the platforms and also toured the new site where the permanent base of the newly established Airforce component of military operations against banditry and terrorism and facilities will be built at Sokoto Airport.
In his remarks, the chief of the Air staff , Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, appreciated the Minister’s servant leadership style which is an inspiration to all. For him , the T129 Attack Helicopters will transform our operational capabilities to those who think they can destabilize our nation.
GRPolitics
Jigawa Youth Agenda Refutes Allegations Against Badaru
By, Al-Amin Aliu, a Public Analyst
The Jigawa Youth Agenda has vehemently denied the unfounded allegations made by a mysterious group claiming to represent APC youth in Jigawa State against Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar.
After thorough investigations, it was revealed that this group is not officially registered with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa and seems to have been hastily formed to spread misinformation and disrupt party unity.
The Youth Agenda are in solidarity with Minister Badaru Abubakar as they reaffirmed its unwavering support for Minister Badaru Abubakar, acknowledging his exceptional contributions to the APC and Nigeria. His leadership and commitment are indisputable, from his transformative tenure as Governor of Jigawa State to his current role as Minister of Defence.
The them, Minister Badaru has done excellently well and the highlighted his key schievements to include but not limited to the following:
– Strengthening National Security: Minister Badaru Abubakar has enhanced Nigeria’s military capabilities, ensuring protection of lives and property.
– Forging Strategic Partnerships: He has fostered vital alliances with global defence organizations to bolster Nigeria’s security and modernize defence infrastructure.
– Promoting Youth Empowerment: The Minister has launched initiatives focused on education, employment, and entrepreneurship in Jigawa State.
– Advancing APC Unity: Minister Badaru Abubakar promotes unity within the party, fostering collaboration across Jigawa and nationally.
The so-called APC Youth Group’s allegations are an attempt to create division within the united APC family. The Jigawa Youth Agenda urges APC members and the public to disregard these unfounded claims and focus on strengthening party unity and ideals.
Minister Badaru Abubakar’s legacy remains a source of pride for Jigawa State and Nigeria. His dedication to national development, APC principles, and the Tinubu administration demonstrates his integrity and effectiveness. The Jigawa Youth Agenda urges Nigerians to recognize his achievements and support his efforts to build a stronger, more secure nation.
The Jigawa Youth Agenda reaffirms its full confidence in Minister Badaru Abubakar’s ability to lead and contribute positively to Nigeria’s development. Together, let us reject misinformation and uphold APC unity and progress at state and national levels.
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