Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has warned that Nigeria is facing a grave situation and requires urgent intervention, urging citizens to come together to steer the country away from its current difficulties.
Tambuwal made the remarks at a colloquium organised to commemorate his 60th birthday, where he lamented that the nation had failed to live up to expectations.
He said Nigeria had drifted far from the vision of its founding fathers, noting that even those who laid the groundwork for the country’s democratic system, whether living or dead, would be deeply dissatisfied with the present condition of the nation.
The former Sokoto State governor explained that the event marked the first time he was formally celebrating his birthday, adding that he initially turned down the idea of a colloquium before later accepting it because of the importance of the theme.
According to him, the gathering was not meant to celebrate his personal achievements but to provide an opportunity for sober reflection on the state of the country and possible solutions.
“It is about good governance. It is not about me or merrymaking. It is about finding a pathway for our country. Where we are today is unfortunate. This is not where we expected to be,” he said.
Tambuwal added that Nigerians who genuinely believed in the country and were not motivated by selfish interests could not be content with the prevailing situation.
“The only way out is for all of us to accept that something is fundamentally wrong with how we are being governed in Nigeria today,” Tambuwal said.
Speaking before dignitaries at the event, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, he emphasised the need for a united effort to address the nation’s challenges.
“Our country is in peril, and we are looking for salvation. This is a collective process. It is not about partisanship or political parties alone,” he said.
While acknowledging the responsibility of political parties to present clear programmes and ideas for governance, Tambuwal stressed that the task of rebuilding the nation extended to all citizens.
“We are involved as citizens of this country. We have nowhere else to go. We must remain in Nigeria and ensure that we do the right thing so that we can have the right leadership,” he said.
“I do agree. But we must all be involved. Why? Because we are involved as citizens of this country, and we have nowhere to go to, and we have nowhere to run to, but we have to remain in Nigeria and make sure that we do the right thing for us to have the right leadership.
“It is a collective responsibility. As my elder brother, Peter Obi, and many other leaders have said, much is expected of me at this stage of my life. I have passed the age of looking left, right and centre. I must therefore recommit myself to the values I have always believed in, even as a younger person.
“I may not be taking too much risk, although I am prepared to take some, but I recommit myself to working with every Nigerian who believes in achieving and enthroning good democratic governance for the country.”
Post A Comment: