Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to engage all sections of the country who feel excluded from governance and address their concerns if he wishes to foster national unity and peace in the country.
He said failure to ensure participation of all citizens in the governance process is likely to lead to a situation where certain forces alien to democracy and national unity may rise up and take control.
The governor spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the national flag off of a campaign for the registration of 20 million Nigerians under ‘Project 20 Million’.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, Hon. Akibu Dalhatu, the governor who was the special guest of honour at the event called on Nigerians to prevail on those in charge of federal authority to change their approach of governance and engage sections of the country who feel excluded from governance.
He canvassed for a constitution amendment that will include devolution of power, stating it is the panacea to the challenges currently facing Nigeria.
Speaking further on the need for inclusion, he said: “We must join forces to prevail on those in charge of federal authority to change their approach. They must engage sections of the country who feel excluded from governance. The country belongs to all of us. When elections are over, you must unify all Nigerians and proceed to deliver dividends of democracy.”
Tambuwal recalled that it was the same feeling of exclusion and political differences that, in the First Republic, truncated the development of different regions which were already making remarkable achievements and led to a civil war.
He added, “The nation is yet to develop a framework for effective engagement of the citizenry in governance.
“This must never be done on an ad hoc basis. In the development of government policies, we must factor in citizen participation. Their input gives legitimacy to whatever we are doing.’’
“Our nation is at the crossroads. There are different forces jostling for attention. There are different forces battling for the soul of the country. Some of the forces are pro-people and pro-development. Some of the forces are pro-national unity.
“Unfortunately, some of the forces are pro-disintegration. They hide under the guise of certain agitations to set our people against each other in order to achieve a pre-determined devious goal. We must be vigilant,” he said.
The governor called for the adoption of initiatives such as the one he used to engage the public in the constitution amendment process when he was speaker of the House of Representatives. He explained that the House had organised town hall meetings in all federal constituencies to collate the inputs of Nigerians to the constitution amendment process, thereby making it ‘’truly participatory and transparent.’’
The success of the exercise, he noted, was due to the fact that people embraced the process with enthusiasm because they felt that their voices were beginning to count in the affairs of government.
Calling for a review of the constitution to address devolution of power, the former speaker stressed that though Nigeria has been battling with difficulties and challenges, they are not insurmountable as they can be addressed within the framework of one Nigeria.
“If we effectively follow our current constitution, which contains the major characteristics of good governance, the tension that has enveloped our country will subside and we shall place our dear nation firmly on the path to sustainable development,” he said.
“The welfare and security of the people must be our major priority. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari has rolled out many programmes aimed at lifting millions of Nigeria out of poverty. This is quite commendable and the intention must, however, be matched with sustained action,” the governor added.
Tambuwal condemned what he described as the government following the rule of law and due process in the breach, with court orders are being disobeyed with impunity, institutions of democracy attacked, fundamental freedoms steadily eroded.
Other dignitaries at the event include the Emir of Zauzau Suleja, His Royal Highness, Mallam Muhammad Ibrahim, Arch Nya-Etok Ezekiel and the Emir of Minna, His Royal Highness, Umaru Faruq Bahago.