Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) in the 2023 presidential election has implored Nigerians to commit to the unity and development of the country in order to honour the nation’s founding fathers.
Tinubu,who gave the charge in his Independence message to Nigerians,said
Nigeria is marking the 62nd anniversary of its freedom from the colonial masters because of the founding fathers’ patriotic effort to bequeath united , virile nation to future generations.
He said: “We can repay them for their patriotism except to remember them and strive to match their love of country and their sacrifice for it. Some gave not only their best years but their very lives so that Nigeria can be born” and prayed that “their labour shall never be in vain! ”
Tinubu,who emphasized that the best the country can offer still lies ahead maintained that in 62 years the journey has been eventful as the country has consolidated democratic governance for 23 years.
There is much work to do in perfecting the country’s form of governance such that government will always and completely be for, of, by and because of the people,he said.
He added:”That our people live in the dignity afforded by prosperity, justice, freedom and an unyielding belief in our capacity to overcome any obstacle was what compelled our founders to strive for the independence we now enjoy”.
According to him,the anniversary offers yet another opportunity “to take stock of how far we have come as a nation and how far we must go to achieve a better nation”.
Commending the President Mohammadu Buhari administration for the effort in keeping the flag flying, he charged Nigerians to a solemn oath.
“On this Independence Day, let us commit ourselves to Nigeria’s unity as well as to our collective improvement. In unity, we must see each other as brothers and sisters regardless of our ethnic, religious or regional diversity. In seeking national improvement, we must join hands in growing the economy, creating jobs, feeding the hungry, educating our youth, caring for the sick and protecting our people and their way of life from evil and misguided foes who seek to destroy all that is good.
“May we all seek the best for Nigeria regardless of partisan affiliation and may we never undermine the national purpose in pursuit of narrow gain.As the nation heads toward the coming election, may we all eschew violence and recourse to divisive, incendiary politics that pull against the fabric of national unity and concord”.
