As we celebrate this 19th Democracy year, we pause to give thanks to God for raising a generation that has never known military rule, and knows only democracy as a form of Government, with the freedom it brings under the rule of law.
This 8th National Assembly under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara continues to set new benchmarks defending democracy in challenging economic and social circumstances, and in the face of significant obstruction from elements within the administration.
Distinguished Senators of this 8th Assembly have passed some of the most far reaching pieces of legislation and conducted some of the most intrusive hearings in our recent democratic history.
Legislation such as the Petroleum industry Governance Bill will position the oil and gas industry to meet the challenges of the next generation. In all we have passed more bills and conducted more Hearings than any other Senate in the history of Nigerian democracy.
On the floor of the Senate and in our constituency, we have highlighted the plight of the people of Kogi in general and Kogi West in particular, who i am privileged to represent. We have sought to introduce measures to alleviate the suffering of the masses, while demanding answers and action from the Buhari administration as to why unemployment has increased from 8% in 2015 to its current levels when 1/3 are out of work.
We look forward to the democracy day that the 43% of the 2.4 million employable but unemployed or underemployed Kogi citizens can celebrate as gainfully employed, and pledge not to rest until we have done everything in our power to promote jobs for Kogites and Nigerians. Today is a day of celebration of how far we have come and how far we have still to go.
We look forward to a Democracy day when the coercive forces of the state are more appropriately devoted to providing security to protect the lives and property of our citizens and preventing crime, deterring terrorism and making Nigeria an attractive place to live and work, and for foreigners to invest in.
As we move to electing the 9th Assembly in 2019, we look forward to a democracy day where Kogites and Nigerians reward, at the ballot box, those who have kept their campaign promises and hold to account those who made excuses. After 5 rounds of elections and 19 Democracy years, I congratulate you all my fellow Nigerians on Nigeria coming of democratic age. Above all I look forward to celebrating a democracy where young Nigerians will not need a Senator or note from the presidency to get jobs in either NNPC or CBN.
I score the federal government very low in Human Rights and outright regard for the National Assembly by both the presidency and her appointees. Government must become born again and dignify the lives and welfare of Nigerians. We must graduate from murmuring and apportioning blames to the real essence of governance. Nigerians must come out of their cocoons and take back their county from economic scavengers and financial cankerworms. In an unjust society silence is a crime.
God bless Nigeria
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