Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has urged Nigerians not to lose confidence in the nation’s leaders to move the country forward.

Akpabio, who enjoined the citizens to continue on the pathway of patriotism, said Nigeria now has firm foundations to hold the country’s democracy forever.

The Senate President said though Nigeria did not stand upon firm foundations at Independence, the challenge of every generation of Nigerians, thereafter, has been to fortify and strengthen the foundations of the country so that the citizens could hold their collective aspirations and expectations.

The former governor of Akwa Ibom State said this at the symposium to mark the 63rd anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on Thursday, September 28, 2023.

He said: “In 1999 after several hopes were betrayed, after several false starts and disappointments, after despair gave way to malaise, Nigerians, led by the statesman, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, stormed the gates of destiny, cleared the cobwebs of military rule and made way for democracy.

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“We can now see that Alhaji Balewa was prophetic. We now have firm foundations – strong enough to hold our democracy for 24 years and set to hold it forever.

“Therefore, we should not let our present circumstances which are temporary becloud our permanent sense of pride that we now have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

“Elections give us a government of the people as we vote. Representation and appointments give us a government by the people. But responsible, people-focused governance gives us the government for the people.”

Akpabio described the administration of President Bola Tinubu as a government for the people, saying: “As long as this administration keeps in step with the people, speaks the language of the people, and sees things through the eyes of the people, the tenth National Assembly will walk with them. This administration will not walk alone.

“Compatriots, the time has come for Nigerians to stop waiting for the nation they want and start being the nation we all want. No matter the pain and difficulty, we must never give up on our dreams or lose our confidence in our leaders. Let us continue in the pathway of patriotism no matter how bad the twists and turns on the road.”

The Star