By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Senate President, David Mark, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, has said that Nigeria has made tremendous progress in her socio-economic and political development since it gained independence on October 1, 1960.
In a statement issued in Abuja, to mark the 54th independence anniversary of Nigeria, they urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in promoting peace and unity no matter the challenges.
Specifically, Mark dismissed as untrue the insinuation in some quarters that Nigeria has not made progress, since independence.
“Let us cast our minds back a little and see the number of road networks, schools, universities, health institutions, telecommunications and a host of others.
“We may not have been where we want to be but we have made appreciable progress and we can do more. All we need to do is to strengthen our unity as one people with one mission and purpose. The stable democracy has offered us opportunity to harness our abundant resources for good.
“Nigeria has passed through many challenges in the past and we came out of it. The security challenges; this Boko Haram can be defeated if we unit to fight them. I believe the Boko Haram, terrorism or insurgency is alien to us as a people. We have the capacity to defeat them and confine them to the dustbin of history.
He promised that genuine complaints and agitations among Nigerians arising from the structure of our polity can be addressed by government but was quick to point out that “we cannot correct perceived imbalances by taking up arms against our brothers, sisters and nation.
“We must therefore continue to shun individuals or groups that encourage, preach and practice division among our people. We must shun every harbinger of hate and bound together as a people of common interest and destiny.
Similarly, Ekweremadu urged Nigerians to continue in their determination to sustain the current democracy which they through absolute determination and sacrifice jointly sustained for 15 years..
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