Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to remain united despite their current existential challenges and struggles for economic survival.
He also called on government at all levels to enunciate policies that will lead to improved standards of living for the average Nigerian, assuring that the future as a nation will be brighter and better.
This was contained in his goodwill message on the occasion of Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary, signed by Paul Ibe, his media adviser.
Atiku expressed concern at the level of disunity, intolerance and bigotry in the country which results in conflicts with its attendant losses of human lives and property.
According to him, disunity doesn’t help Nigerians because it makes it impossible for them to unite for a mutually beneficial common cause.
“I believe that our common interests are greater than those things that divide us. If we spend our energies on division rather than fighting for our common interests, it would be more difficult to bring about positive change to assuage the situation,” Atiku said.
According to the former PDP presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019, diversity is not a bad thing in itself, but what matters is the transformation of the diversity into strength.
Read also: PDP: Atiku calls for calm, urges reconciliation process be given a chance
He explained that when the citizens are united, they are more likely to bring about the desired change than when they are divided.
He added that Nigerians can defeat divide and rule politics if they are united behind their common interests.
Atiku reminded leaders at all levels of the imperative of making the nation’s democracy work for all through justice, equity, fairness and even spread of development across the country.
The Waziri Adamawa regrets that, “despite our vast oil resources, extreme poverty and joblessness have remained persistent,” adding that “there is no excuse that 61 years after independence, extreme poverty is still stares the ordinary citizen in the face.”
He advocated for bipartisan initiatives by political leaders to address the spate of insecurity compounded by joblessness and poor living conditions.
“Insurgent activities have sprung up as a result of unemployment and joblessness of our able young men and women; frustration sets in and this encourages them to be involved in activities that are detrimental to our collective peace and security,” he said.
Atiku, who used the opportunity to wish Nigerians, at home and abroad, a happy Independence Day anniversary, also said: “It is worthy to celebrate our great nation on her anniversary today. We have come a long way together as a country. Although we have challenges that beset us like other countries of the world, we must not surrender to them. We must work together, in truth and justice, to overcome these challenges, as a stronger and more united country.”
