The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday called on traditional rulers in the country to mobilise their subjects to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Hassan Turaki, said that Dogara made the call when he visited the Olowo of Owo Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba David Olateru- Olagbegi.
The speaker said that for Nigeria to change, the traditional institution must play key role and ensure support from their subjects to the government.
“As a government, we need support of the citizens to make life better for them. We realise that we need active participation of the people in the change agenda of the government.
“We are aware of what some people in some quarters are saying about the change promised by this government.
Government can only provide the enabling environment.
“Now we have hope that ‘change’ will definitely come because there is a clear departure from the past.
“Government alone cannot bring about the change we need. We need active support and participation of the citizens. There is nothing that is impossible,” he added.
Highlighting the role of citizen’s participation in the ‘change agenda’, he noted that while government provided the enabling environment for people’s businesses and other aspirations to prosper, the people must engage in wealth creation.
“When we talk about change, although a lot of people are beginning to ask when is the change coming? We know that all we can do as government is to provide enabling environment.
“No matter the question that is being asked, if you look at the set of people who are there today as leaders, we know that there is change because there is a clear departure from the past.
“But, we know that it is impossible for government alone to bring about the needed change. Citizens themselves must determine that they want change and want to change at their own individual level.
“We believe that with the support and participation of the citizens, there is nothing that cannot be achieved. There is nothing that we set our hearts to achieve that we cannot achieve as a people,’’ Dogara said.
He also stressed that the support of the traditional institution was important in sensitizing the citizens to not only support the government but to be the change they want to see.
According to Dogara, that is the way the society can change and we can restore the greatness of this country.
He stated that the National Assembly was partnering the executive to make the ‘change agenda’ a reality and not out to clash with any arm of government.
He further explained that in some cases, people were questioning why the legislature was quiet about some issues or not fighting the executive.
“I want to support the fact that we don’t see our role or relationship as collision but supportive of whatever is there to achieve by the executive.
“This is to lessen the burden of the people and improve their living condition.
“We don’t adopt a posture just for the sake of proving that we have separate powers as allocated to us by the
Constitution; we cooperate more to ensure that good is delivered to the people.
“It is only when democracy is threatened that we raise our voices. And, I remember we have been doing that in this government.
“On how we handled the crisis in Kogi State House of Assembly, it was actually an APC leader who led investigation into the matter and we condemned the impunity even as members of the ruling party. This is the change we are talking about,’’ he said.
The speaker also added that as leaders, their primary responsibility was to work out solution even in the midst of crisis.
In his response, Oba Olateru-Olagbegi hailed the speaker for the leadership being provided in the House of Representatives and prayed God to grant him more wisdom. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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I have been trying to tell our people the same thing sir but they are and were actually not ready for the change. They expected a miracle like 24/7 light and 0% unemployment. What Nigerians are afraid of is creating wealth for theselves with their ideas because the system has been damaged for soo long so we feel our ideas are useless and all we need is a godfather to give us connect. Meanwhile the change apc came in to give us is an equal opportunity for everyone to be able to achieve greatness with our ideas. Watch this space I lunch www.madeinnigeria.trade soon.
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