As Nigerians celebrate Democracy Day today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by some dissidents to take advantage of the current economic crisis in the country to destroy democracy.
He, however, vowed to not only preserve democracy but would also protect the rights, freedom and liberty of Nigerians.
On the new minimum wage, the president also promised to send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as as part of the law for the next five years or less.
This is against the backdrop of the agreement reached between the FG and Organised Labour on the minimum wage which shall be disclosed after the National Assembly confirms it as soon as they receive the bill.
These are contained in his nationwide broadcast on the 25th anniversary of unbroken democracy in Nigeria on Wednesday.
He noted that some persons sacrificed their lives to ensure that democratic government was put in place about 25 years ago.
“My dear compatriots, Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity twenty-five years ago: Whether to veer toward a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship. We made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now,” he said.
“As Nigerians, we must remind ourselves that no matter how complicated democracy may be, it is the best form of governance in the long run. We must also be aware that there are those among us who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy, this democracy for which so much has already been given.
“These people do this not to make things better but to subject all other people and things to their control and dominance until the point that, if you are not counted among their elite, then your life will be small and no longer owned by you. This is the great battle of our day and the major reason we especially celebrate this Democracy Day.”
He added that the true meaning of the day was not to focus solely on the great deeds of the past that have brought the country to her present point.
“Yes, we pay eternal honour to those who laid down their lives, sacrificing everything to pave the way for the nation.
“I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
“As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance. I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria.
“Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life.
“I come before you also to declare that our most important work remains before us. This real test has never been whether we would rise to challenge the slings of misfortune and grievous pain of dictatorship.
“The real test is whether we shall lower our guards as the shadow of despotism and its evident physical danger fade.”
minimum wage. We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.
“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.
“No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution.
“Reasoned discussion and principled compromise are hallmarks of democracy. These themes shall continue to animate my policies and interaction with the constituent parts of our political economy.
“I take on this vital task without fear or favour and I commit myself to this work until we have built a Nigeria where no man is oppressed.
“In the end, our national greatness will not be achieved by travelling the easy road. It can only be achieved by taking the right one.”
