As Nigerians mark the 59th anniversary of their nation’s Independence, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has called on citizens to eschew divisive tendencies and unite to rebuild the nation.
The Governor made the call in a goodwill message to Nigerians, especially Deltans, on the anniversary, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifejika.
He said there was need for all Nigerians to shun primordial sentiments of ethnicity, religion and all forms of sectionalism, and collaborate to rebuild a nation where peace, justice and economic growth would reign.
Okowa remarked that the people had suffered avoidable hardship due to lack of commitment on the part of leaders and called for greater patriotism toward nation building.
The Governor challenged Nigerians to engage in more constructive and patriotic participation in governance, saying that the country was grappling with the inability to realise the dreams of its founding fathers, who fought for its independence.
According to him, citizens had failed to change the narratives by allowing sentiments to determine their choice of leaders and what national interest entailed.
He also charged leaders to be more committed to the cause of nation building and shun corruption, ethnicity, religious and regional considerations in making critical decisions affecting the nation.
The Governor thanked Deltans for living in peace in spite of the state’s multi ethnic configuration, assuring that his administration would continue to find solutions to issues plaguing the state.
Okowa noted that Nigeria had enjoyed democratic governance in the last 20 years, but had yet to fully harness the gains of democracy.
He said it was a sad commentary that after 20 years of democracy in Nigeria, the country was still faced with same challenges of corruption, insecurity, infrastructure deficits.
The Governor urged all Nigerians to use the occasion of the 59th Independence anniversary to redefine what should constitute national interest, and unite to achieve that dream.
Okowa harped on the need for Nigerians to only support and elect leaders with competence and capacity to realise the dream of rebuilding and uniting the nation, adding that citizens must take interest in politics and ensure that the choice of leaders was devoid of religious, ethnic and geo political considerations.
He urged leaders at all levels to rededicate themselves to the ideals of politics and good governance to ensure that they delivered a better nation to the people.
The Givernor thanked all Deltans, especially the people of oil producing communities, for giving peace a chance which had culminated in uninterrupted oil production in the state, reassuring that government would continue to proffer solutions to challenges in all sectors of the state’s economy.
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