“Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that\u00a0we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must\u00a0change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust.\u00a0We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places,\u00a0motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we\u00a0must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.” President Buhari<\/p>\n
FULL TEXT OF THE 55TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT
\nMUHAMMADU BUHARI ON OCTOBER 1, 2015<\/p>\n
October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians whatever\u00a0the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years\u00a0ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our\u00a0long march to nationhood and to greatness.<\/p>\n
No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring\u00a0this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our\u00a0Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers \u2013 Nigeria is the ninth most populated\u00a0country on the planet. We have in addition:<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Arable land<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Water<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Forests<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Oil and gas<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Coastline<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Solid minerals<\/p>\n
We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because\u00a0the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity\u00a0of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly\u00a0political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic\u00a0progress.<\/p>\n
Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater\u00a0coherence and unity of purpose.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should\u00a0all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a sea\u00a0change in our democratic development. The fact that an opposition party\u00a0replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is\u00a0indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one\u2019s\u00a0views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not\u00a0digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold\u00a0consequences.<\/p>\n
As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on\u00a0past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone.\u00a0People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite\u00a0everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the\u00a0nation.<\/p>\n
My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was\u00a0no different. But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a\u00a0recitation of problems inherited. Accordingly, after consultations with\u00a0the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior stakeholders, I\u00a0quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term\u00a0problems which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which\u00a0Nigerians so generously bestowed on us in the March elections and since
\nthen.<\/p>\n
As you know, I toured the neighboring countries, marshal a coalition of\u00a0armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met\u00a0also the G7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an\u00a0international coalition against Boko Haram. Our gallant armed forces under\u00a0new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely\u00a0weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are\u00a0being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless
\nattacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their\u00a0cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local\u00a0authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places.<\/p>\n
On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over\u00a0several weeks about the best way to improve the nation\u2019s power supply in\u00a0the safest and most cost effective way. In the meantime, improvement in\u00a0the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of\u00a0petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All\u00a0the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to\u00a0feel a change for the better.<\/p>\n
Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its\u00a0operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a\u00a0minimum. Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back\u00a0into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the\u00a0whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products\u00a0in dubious transactions could be stopped.<\/p>\n
In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other\u00a0revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better\u00a0service delivery to the nation. Prudent housekeeping is needed now more\u00a0than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a\u00a0challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what\u00a0accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.<\/p>\n
We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged,\u00a0squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up,\u00a0introducing prudence and probity in public financing.<\/p>\n
At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary\u00a0arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social\u00a0unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the\u00a0owing states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the\u00a0livelihood of millions of Nigerians.<\/p>\n
Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the\u00a0apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be\u00a0anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We\u00a0received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four
\ndays before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee\u00a0submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure\u00a0after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to\u00a0announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of\u00a0ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.<\/p>\n
Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees\u00a0for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be\u00a0forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital\u00a0than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far\u00a0better results. And better results for our country is what the APC\u00a0government for CHANGE is all about.<\/p>\n
I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE.\u00a0Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that\u00a0we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must\u00a0change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust.\u00a0We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places,\u00a0motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we\u00a0must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.<\/p>\n
Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that\u00a0we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must\u00a0change…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n