Armed Forces Remembrance Day: NASS will support Tinubu to end insurgency, insecurity.

Armed Forces Remembrance Day: NASS will support Tinubu to end insurgency, insecurity.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Sunday, January 14, reiterated the readiness of the National Assembly to join hands with President Bola Tinubu in finding lasting solutions to all issues of insurgency, insecurity, banditry, and all forms of criminality bedeviling the country.

Akpabio also called on the Church to partner with the President to rebrand the country.

He chided the Governor of Anambra state, Chukwuma Soludo for describing Nigeria as a dead horse standing.

He told the governor that Anambra state may be the horse he described because Nigeria is a “horse that is bouncing, and ready to gallop and go to work.”

The Senate president made these remarks at the Interdenominational Church Service for the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, on Sunday.

Akpabio said: “I must say, yes indeed, I’m not supposed to make comments on the liturgy (homily) that was rendered today by our dear Bishop, Bishop Muyiwa because of course, standing on the podium of God, he ought to, and he was speaking from the words that were put into his mouth. But when he was speaking, he said that the military actually, in the past, not the present military, caused a lot of problems in the country.

“I don’t want to correct it, but I just want to amend it that yes, indeed, the military have continued to save Nigeria to the best of their abilities.

“They did not cause the problem that we are finding today. I said a few days ago that in 1959 when the then Governor General was handing over to Nigeria, when we had independence on 1st October, in his address, he said one of the greatest problems of Nigeria was what? Corruption! Which means that corruption existed before Nigeria was born and so the government will continue to fight corruption.

“Therefore, I want to thank the Bishop for recognizing the efforts of the president in strenuously trying to bury this menace called corruption. I also want to thank the Bishop for all the accolades he has put on the steps so far taken by the President to reposition Nigeria.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step and the rot that we are seeing in Nigeria today started right from independence and it got us to where we are.

“It did not start with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But I said America took 185 years before they could produce a member of parliament as president and another member of parliament as Vice President.

“I think that was President Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson. But in Nigeria, less than 30 years, we have a president as a senator and we also have a vice president as a senator.

“This means that they know the problems of the grassroots and they are determined to solve that problem.

“I stand before you as part of you to say that I will join this president, not just to reform Nigeria, but to ensure that all the complaints and all the issues bordering on insurgency are addressed.

“We don’t have enough men and women in uniform. We are determined to give them the resources to ensure that they bring more people into the Armed Forces to secure Nigeria.

“We have started with the budgetary processes and I’m sure the leaders, the heads of all the agencies can attest to the fact that this government is very determined to provide everything that the Armed Forces need to bring total peace to this country. And for this, I applaud President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He further stated: “Also let me make mention of a sitting governor, I think it is Governor (Chukwuma) Soludo who described Nigeria as a dead horse still standing. I don’t know whether he’s talking about Anambra State because he’s the governor of Anambra State and so if he’s a governor, and Anambra State is a dead horse standing, it is not Nigeria. Nigeria is a horse that is bouncing, and ready to gallop and go to work. And he will go for work in Jesus’ name. But I want to thank him for the recollection yesterday that security is everybody’s business. If you don’t give enough intelligence to the men in uniform, there is nothing they can do. So everybody must get ready to get involved in security. Of course, communal clashes, such as the ones you are seeing in Jos of them date back to ages.

“Before Najida was born, people have been fighting, even in my area, people are fighting for land and when they are fighting, we must pray. We can only succeed through prayers. Yes, that’s the reason why I want to end what I’m saying, by just referring to what you already know in the Bible yes, unless the Lord watches over the city and over the nation, the watchmen do what? Struggle in vain. May God watch over Nigeria and Jesus name.”

Earlier in his speech, Akpabio said that the President Tinubu-led government at the centre, is focused on ensuring that Nigeria remains an inseparable and indivisible entity.

The Senate President who held that the continued existence of the country lies in its rich cultural, religious and ethnic diversity, called on the people to embrace unity, stressing the resolve of the present administration to redouble its efforts in securing the country.

The number one lawmaker, paid glowing tributes to members of the armed forces who fell in the quest to make Nigeria remain one, stressing that their labour would never be in vain.

Akpabio also asked the Christendom and other stakeholders in the Nigerian project to join hands with the Tinubu government as well as the nation’s Armed Forces to tackle the issues that have threatened the co-existence of the country.

He said: “The unity of Nigeria came at a great price. The sustenance and defence of this unity rests on the shoulders of the men and women of the Armed Forces, and the true weight of loss is carried by the families and dependents of these fallen heroes. If only we could share the pain they feel, then we would truly understand the imperative of eschewing insecurity and violence in all its forms.

“The year 2023 was an eventful one, marked by general elections and a change in leadership. Our nation is still grappling with the effects of long-overdue multisectoral reforms needed to propel us forward and position Nigeria among the great nations of the world. I urge support to the government of His Excellency President Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, during this crucial time as we strive to achieve the Nigeria of our dreams. In this regard, I reiterate the President’s assurance that ‘our tough times will not last,’ and we should renew our hope in a great Nigeria.

“Now is the time for all stakeholders to set aside our differences, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliations, and come together to strategise on the way forward for this great nation that our gallant men and women of the Armed Forces paid, and continue to pay, the ultimate price to preserve. It is also a time for sober reflection, to take stock of past events such as the civil war, and to reflect on current challenges like the war on insurgency, incessant attacks on innocent Nigerians, and the spate of kidnappings across the country. We must reflect on their causes and work together to prevent future occurrences.”

According to Akpabio: “I call upon the church to partner with the government in a much-needed rebranding of Nigeria. The church is urged to continue spreading the gospel of love for oneself, others, and our country. We must blur the lines that divide us across ethnic and religious boundaries through messages of tolerance, peace, unity, and progress.

“This administration is more determined than ever to strengthen and promote the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria because the strength of our great nation lies in our diversity.

“Once again, let us salute the courage and appreciate the sacrifices of our men and women of the Armed Forces. Let us stand in solidarity with the families of our fallen heroes and heroines. I assure you that the government will continue to evolve policies to address the challenges you face as a result of your loss.

“The inclusion of veterans, their dependents, and caregivers into the Social Welfare Register through the Ministry of Defence is a commendable initiative of the current administration. The President, Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces is committed to implementing welfare programmes within the services for the families of deceased personnel while making continuous efforts to address any remaining gaps.”