•Urges governors to deliver on campaign promises or be sacked
•Says outcome of 2023 polls shows anybody can be booted out
•Urges those seeking redress to use appropriate channels
•As Elumelu, tasks governors to prioritise youths
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that his administration which ends in two weeks, has made steady progress since it took office in 2015.
Buhari who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, said this at the opening of the 2023 induction for Re-elected and elected governors with the theme: Governing for Impact (Building Sub-national Governance), organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), holding at the State House Conference Center, Abuja.
According to him, “The road has been bumpy due to a challenging fiscal climate, but I am proud to state as we leave office in about two weeks that we have built a firm foundation for a prosperous Nigeria. We could not have done everything, but we focused on a number of areas: Infrastructure, Agriculture and strengthening our Armed Forces.
“Despite the difficult fiscal conditions, we remained committed to our promises. These key areas were strategically targeted.
“Our focus on Infrastructure was to improve access to markets, improved linkages and to reduce overall supply chain costs. This singular commitment to infrastructure development for roads, rails, airports, ports and affordable housing were designed to create better means of livelihood for our people and facilitate access to jobs.
“I am happy that we are succeeding in investing the nation’s wealth in every State of the federation and a clear path for sustainable development has been set.”
The President called on governors to deliver on their campaign promises now that elections are over.
According to him, the outcome of the 2023 general election has shown that if a leader doesn’t perform, the people will vote him out.
Buhari said: “One interesting development that we all saw from the last election is that the electorate is maturing, and people are increasingly finding their voices. Any public officer who fails to either meet up with the expectations of the people or deliver on his campaign promises would be voted out in the next election. That is what democracy is about. Deliver or get shown the door out.”
He enjoined the Forum to promote ideals that will address the challenges of democracy and governance in our country today.
He said: “The role of the Sub-nationals is critical in our Socio-Economic development as a nation. Your proximity to the people, gives you the privilege to have an instant pulse on their needs and challenges and yours is to device creative and judicious means of addressing the myriad of issues that confront them daily.
“As returning or incoming State Executives you also must be cognizant of the comparative advantages inherent in each of your states, and how you can form partnerships with each other, by leveraging your various strengths while recognizing that there is no one size fits all solutions.
“I also bid you to take this opportunity to unite across party divides to put the country first. Nigerians desire peace, progress and security. A country where they have access to quality education, health and social services. Your ability to champion these values significantly impacts the atmosphere where in the delivery of social goods and services will be conducted efficiently and harmoniously.”
He said, “In February and March 2023, Nigeria consolidated and re-enforced its democratic process with the general election, which saw the election of a new President and about 18 newly elected Governors.
“I am happy to note that democracy is alive, vibrant and thriving in Nigeria. With the elections now over, it is time for all of us to deliver the promises we made during the campaigns,” he said.
The President cautioned politicians to brace up and work for the people as the take their oath of office on May 29 because citizens have now realized that the power lies with them.
He added thar: “I’ve always maintained that democracy is not an event nor an end State but a revolutionary process that takes its participants on a journey of self-actualization. The process forces usa to hold a mirror to ourselves and by so doing, we are made to constantly review and improve its critical element.
“On May 29 this year, you will be called upon to steer the affairs of your States for the next four years at least, for those who are being elected for the first time. On that day you will become wholly responsible for the State as an enterprise,” he said.
The President who said democracy is not an event, but an evolutionary process. He noted the democratic process forces us “to hold a mirrior to ourselves and by so doing there’s need to constantly review and improve critical elements, in order to ensure that we have an inclusive democratic practice that gives faith to the voters.
“You must therefore, be patient, be tolerant and use the appropriate channels to seek redress if we believe there has been unfair practices along the way.
“As you can tell, I am speaking as a veteran of the process. I protested the process for the presidency four times and only succeeded at the fourth attempt, which was the easiest of all the elections I have gone all the way to Supreme Court, in order to allow the judiciary process to take its course.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal informed the Incoming Governors-Elect, re-elected governors and out going Governors noted that in order for the Nigerian economy to truly flourish and experience sustained growth, it must move away from its reliance on the export of raw materials like oil, gold, and agricultural products.
He also advised his colleagues that in order to achieve industrialization for the purpose of reducing poverty and creating jobs, the national industrialization policy must be re-articulated, the power supply must be improved, and human capital must be developed.
“Ladies, and gentlemen, as some of us are exiting as helmsmen of our respective states, the new and incoming governors are reminded of the task ahead. We have made giant strides in our various states within limited resources at our disposal in the areas of infrastructural development and provision of social services.
“We faced the most difficulty times in economic management of our states during the COVID 19 pandemic. We exited recessions and the economy is now on the pathway for sustainable growth. You now face the important task of putting viable strategies in
“Unemployment, poverty, and insecurity are difficult tasks incoming administration are expected to face in their respective states. Building strong and viable institutions in the polity will help in tackling unemployment, reducing poverty, and ensuring the provision of security of lives and property. This is a worthy legacy to be bequeathed to our children and generations to come” he said.
In his address on Task of Nation Building, the Chairman Tony Elemelu Foundation, Tony Elemelu urged the newly elected and returning governors to prioritise youth participation, noting that it is the most effective way to make a difference and spur socioeconomic improvement in both their specific states and Nigeria as a whole.
He called on political leaders to create more private sector friendly policies to increase wealth creation and encourage entrepreneurship.
“As leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders in our society, we must recognize the potential of entrepreneurship to promote youth engagement and wealth creation in Nigeria.
“We must invest in programs that support and encourage young people to pursue their dreams and develop the skills they need to succeed as entrepreneurs. Let us work together to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship to thrive in Nigeria, and to empower our youth to become active participants in the development of our country” Elemelu said.
The MD/CEO, Emmanuel Emefienim, Premium Trust Bank, has joined Director General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, to call on governors to increase internally generate revenue in their states.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, urged the state executives to stop the over dependence on the center to develop their states.
“They should come up with innovative ways of raising IGR that they can use to drive development in their states. The moment you are less depends on the center the more you have the capacity to do more for your people and once that is done, infrastructural development will take place, you will deliver more dividends of democracy to the betterment of the people.”
On areas the state executives should concentrate on to generate IGR, Emefienim said, “It differs from state to state. What could be the major drivers for revenue in an oil producing state may not be the same for a state like Anambra or Abia, where you have retail businesses. It is for the governor’s determine what work for them and how best they can harness the opportunities available in their environment.”
Emefienim, who said Premium Trust Bank, was one of the sponsors of the event, welcomed the induction programme, saying it will position the governors to provide the right leadership in their various states.
“It is something everyone needs to support, it’s something you just leave to government. We feel that the private sector has a role to play in good governance, accountability and development.”