2nd May, 2014
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Thursday called on Nigerians to support the Nigerian project.
Tambuwal, who made the call in Sokoto at the second edition of the Sam Nda-Isaiah annual lecture series, said: “We must, collectively as Nigerians, make the `Nigerian project’ work”.
The lecture, organised by Integrity Icons, a Non Governmental Organisation, was themed: “Social Justice and Credible Leadership to sustain a Nation”.
According to Tambuwal, the President, the executives, the national assembly and other stakeholders are determined to make Nigeria work.
He stressed the need for social justice to thrive in Nigeria, describing it as the key to the attainment of the nation’s aspirations.
“Part of the reasons the nation is currently drifting is the inability of successive governments to set up Nigeria as a just society.
“We live in a country where the poor gets poorer as the rich gets richer.
“Over 70 per cent of our people still live below poverty level, below the standards that existed in 1960 when we got independence,” he lamented.
Tambuwal maintained that what sustained a nation was not the few who have, but the many who lack; not the comfort of the elite, but the frame of mind of the rest of the people.
He noted that Nigeria had become a nation whose moral deficit was bankrupting the economy, robbing the children of their future and threatening the very foundation of the nation’s unity.
Tambuwal added that over the years, successive governments had failed to execute programmes and policies that would deliberately bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots.
Governor Aliyu Wamakko, represented by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Danladi Bako, said Nigeria required the leadership that would make her a great nation.
“The youths should also be adequately educated to empower them fully for their future leadership roles,” he said.
Sam Nda-Isaiah, the Publisher of Leadership Newspapers and guest of honour, emphasised the fact that Nigeria belonged to all Nigerians.
“We are all equal stakeholders in the nation and everybody can become anything; we must all work together to make Nigeria work,” he said.