By Abba-Eku Onyekachi
Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, (APC, Akwa Ibom North West); his deputy, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, (APC, Kano North); the immediate past Senate President Ahmad Lawan, (APC, Yobe North); Senators Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North); Isah Jibrin, (APC, Kogi East) and; Abdulaziz Yaradu’a, (APC, Katsina Central), have saluted Nigeria at 63.
While the senate president, his deputy and the former senate president’s salutations were contained in a statement made available to journalists by their respective Special Media Advisers, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, Ismail Mudashir and Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, the rest had their own contained in a statement they made with regard to the independence anniversary yesterday.
Acknowledging present challenges, the senate president said that there were many landmarks in the nation’s 63 years to give a sense of optimism for a better tomorrow. Noting that Nigeria has passed particular struggles as a country in the last 63 years, he added that each country had its unique path with unique challenges.
Affirming that the fabrics of national cohesion are increasingly being braced by unique Nigerians and stating that he is confident that Nigeria is now on pathway to rediscovery, Akpabio pledged determination of the National Assembly to advance Nigeria to greater heights, just as he congratulated President Ahmed Bola Tinubu on being the unique Nigerian with the unique opportunity of turning Nigeria towards the country of our dreams. Congratulating his colleagues at the National Assembly and Nigerians in general, on behalf of the legislators, he pledged to assist Mr President within the limits of constitutional provisions.
The Federal Government (FG) had declared Monday, October 2 as a public holiday to commemorate the country’s 63rd Independence Anniversary.
On his own, the deputy senate president urged Nigerians not to despair, saying the challenges facing the country are surmountable with the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, just as he appealed to the citizens to remain resolute in the promotion of national unity, support and pray for the government to succeed in its efforts to turn around the country’s fortunes positively.
Joining the calls on organised labour to shelve its planned strike over petrol subsidy removal, Barau I. Jibrin said there were moves by the government to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. He said the parliament would continue to work for good governance and support the executive with the necessary legislation to actualise its programmes and policies.
Also the former Senate President Ahmad Lawan on his message said that Nigeria was on the path to greatness, despite some of the challenges, saying that Nigeria is a force to reckon with, reasoning that she has become the bastion for the propagation of democratic ideals within and beyond Africa.
