Nigerian President, governors take oath of Office

Nigerian President, governors take oath of Office
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos  

The Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan and state governors were sworn in to mark another milestone in the democratic history of Nigeria.

At the Eagle Square in Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice Namadi Sambo took oath of office for a four year term. The Eagle Square, venue of the presidential inauguration, had been cordoned off since the early hours of Friday, prompting diversions of traffic from all roads adjoining the Central Area, Abuja.

Ahead of the inauguration, President Jonathan has vowed to provide good governance, saying it was an obligation he owed Nigerians to atone for the loss of lives and property in the post-election crisis which followed his overwhelming victory in the April presidential election.

He urged religious leaders and Nigerians to continue to pray for his success.

President Jonathan noted that the elections had solidified democracy in the country, hopeful that the country was already on its way to transformation.

According to the president, “that everything is working is a clear indication that transformation has started. Let us use this opportunity to ask ourselves what we should do as individuals, as Nigerians for this transformation to be consolidated.”

In his words, “I plead with you to pray for me as I said before, pray for all of us who the Lord has given the privilege to run the affairs of the country both at the executive, legislature and judiciary because I on my own cannot manage the affairs of this country, only God can make it possible.”

Standard bearers

Three former state governors were adjudged to have outstanding public personalities in terms of simplicity, and deliverables in their first term in office, hence they were returned for another four years.

In the southwest, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State led the pack. For the south east region, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State was a shining example of good governance and the realism of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, in the south south of Nigeria added colour and pride to good public service to Nigerians.

 According to a newspaper editorial, “these three men, among very few others in public office, tend to appreciate and show better understanding through venerable official conducts, the fact that power is the most temporary of all human possession”.

These events mark the climax of weeks of electioneering campaign in which the elected officials, then as candidates of their various political parties, made various promises to the people and also did promise to uphold good governance at all times.

Historical

Above all,  Nigeria was at the threshold of history on May 29  as President Goodluck Jonathan, became the first elected Nigerian of Niger Delta region to be sworn in as fifth executive president .

With his assumption of duty, President Jonathan has also closed an intellectual chapter that General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida attempted to deal with in 1987, when he established the Professor Joseph Inikori Presidential Committee on the ‘National Question’.

At that time, the 13-man Committee postulated on the issue of rotational presidency, which would guarantee access to power by all peoples and groups.

A follow-up to that attempt was the adoption of six geopolitical zones as the basis for rotating the presidency.

Congratulatory messages

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the 12 years of uninterrupted civil rule, saying that the country has made a steady progress towards democratic practice.

He hailed the resilience, commitment, determination and patriotism of citizens, remarking that they were substantially responsible for the progress made in this political dispensation.

Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, felicitated with President Goodluck Jonathan, newly elected governors and state and federal legislators who won at the recent general elections, praying to God to endow them with the wisdom to utilise their sacred mandates to pursue the greatest good for the greatest number of the citizens of our beloved country.

While Alhaji Balarabe Musa, former governor of Kaduna State was congratulating Nigerians, he urged people to be hopeful for a better future.

To Festus Okoye, National Coordinator, Independent Election Monitoring Group (IEMG) and Executive Director of Human Rights Monitor, “democracy thrives better in an environment where people are vigilant. It thrives better in places where civil society groups and organisations hold governments accountable”.

He said Nigerians must continue to strengthen democracy through adequate support for institutions. 

Chairman, House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim, said Nigeria is on track in its pursuit of democratic principles and institutionalisation of democracy.

She stated that the fact that Nigeria succeeded in conducting elections that were adjudged free, fair and credible is a big plus for the country's democracy.

Expectations

The people are expectant of the dividends of democracy and the only way this can effectively happen is for those newly sworn into office to consider themselves first as true representatives and servants of the people.