…Promises to send minimum wage bill to NASS soon
President Bola Tinubu has vowed to uphold the constitution and ensure that the rights of every Nigerian is protected.
The president in his Democracy Day broadcast on Wednesday morning, noted that 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.”
The president, who noted that Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity 25 years ago: whether to veer towards a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship, however, said the Nigerians made the right choice then, adding that ” We must continue with that choice now”
“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.
The President also assured that he will always listen to the people, adding that ” I will never turn my back on you.
“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 specially celebrate this Democracy day
“Fellow Nigerians, our Democracy is more than a historic fact. It is a living, breathing reality.
He noted that the true meaning of this day is not to focus solely on the great deeds of the past that have brought us to this point.
“We pay eternal honour to those who laid down their lives, sacrificing everything to pave the way for the nation.
Tinubu, who recalled that he was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy, said he has also become a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
He pledged to “do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life”
“Although the challenges are steep and multiple, I am grateful to lead Nigeria at this moment in her history and point in her democratic journey.
“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.
The president stated that he understood the economic difficulties that Nigeria face as a nation.
“Our economy has been in desperate need of reform for decades. It has been unbalanced because it was built on the flawed foundation of over-reliance on revenues from the exploitation of oil.
“The reforms we have initiated are intended to create a stronger, better foundation for future growth. There is no doubt the reforms have occasioned hardship. Yet, they are necessary repairs required to fix the economy over the long run so that everyone has access to economic opportunity, fair pay and compensation for his endeavour and labour.
“As we continue to reform the economy, I shall always listen to the people and will never turn my back on you.”
Speaking on the recent minimum wage strike embarked upon by organised labour, the president said it was in this spirit, “We have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organised labour on a new national minimum wage.”
He also assured that he will 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. e
“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,” Tinubu said.
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