Independence Day: Deputy President of the Senate urges Nigerians not to despair

*says our challenges surmountable

By Andrew Oota

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has urged Nigerians not to despair, saying the challenges facing the country are surmountable with the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Federal Government had declared Monday, October 2 as a public holiday to commemorate the country’s 63rd Independence Anniversary.

Senator Barau (APC, Kano North), in his message to Nigerians on the country’s 63rd Independence Anniversary, appealed to the citizens to remain resolute in the promotion of national unity, support and prayers for the government to succeed in its efforts to turn around the country’s fortunes positively.

The Deputy President of the Senate ,in a statement signed by his Media Adviser Ismail Mudashir reiterated the commitment of President Tinubu to the revival of the economy, tackling the security and other challenges facing the country.

” Fellow Nigerians, happy Independence Day. As we celebrate the 63rd Independence Anniversary – the liberty from colonial rule, we must remember the enormous sacrifices made by our founding fathers; Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, among others, and recommit ourselves to the ideals they preached including the promotion of national unity, peace, justice, and tolerance.

” Yes, at 63, we have some challenges facing us as a country but they are surmountable. We will overcome them. Our country will come out stronger of its present challenges, by God’s grace.

” Let’s continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to actualise his policies and programmes as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda. He has good intentions for the country. We will get it right,” he said.

Joining the calls on organised labour to shelve its planned strike over petrol subsidy removal, the Deputy President of the Senate said there are genuine moves by the government to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal.

He said the parliament would continue to work for good governance and support the executive with the necessary legislation to actualise its programmes and policies.

” On our part as assured by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, we will continue to support the executive to address the nation’s challenges. This is why we have been given accelerated consideration to the requests of the President. We will sustain the tempo to fast-track the development of our country,” he said.