By Chimezie Godfrey
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration will not rest until the security and safety of every Nigerian citizens are guaranteed.
He gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja at the Public Presentation of the Book titled, “Standing Strong,” Legislative Reforms, Third Term and Other Issues of the 5th Senate, authored by the Former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani.
President Buhari represented by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, congratulated Senator Ken Nnamani for writing the book, noting that the labour involved in writing such a book was enormous.
He thanked Senator Nnamani and his colleagues in the National Assembly for standing strong in carrying out their constitutional duties in the defense of democracy in Nigeria, adding that these efforts among several others made by the three tiers of government helped to stabilize the polity in Nigeria up to date.
President Buhari who decried the rising insecurity in the country assured that his administration will not rest until normalcy is restored and every Nigerian is safe and secured.
He said,”Our nation continuous to have security challenges. This administration will not rest until Nigerians live in safety and are secured. We are constantly reviewing our strategy to continuously degrade the capability of all criminal elements in the country.
“We are creating strategic cooperation between our military and paramilitary agencies for them to work together to fight crime and all criminal activities in the country.
“We are deploying adequate resources to strengthen the capacity and capabilities of our security forces. On behalf of the nation, I commend the gallantry and courage of our armed forces and other security agencies fighting crime in the country.
“The fight against insecurity is the one that we will win, Nigeria will peaceful and Nigerians will live in safety and be secured. We thank senator ken Nnamani for writing this important book. I am happy that he has put down the experiences he acquired when he served the nation as Senate president and chairman of the national assembly.
“This book is useful to all those who like to study all the problems that our nation had at that period in our history. It is important that we all recognize that there is no nation on earth without problems. And there is no nation without problem at any given time in its history. In any nation problems may be. found from time to time, however there will always be problems, hence no matter the problem confronting our dear nation, I want Nigerians to know that the future out nation is bright.
“Let us never forget that the things that unites us are far more than those that divide us.We should continue to work together for the unity, the peace, security and prosperity of our dear nation. May the Almighty God bless our dear nation Nigeria.”
The Author of the Book, Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani remarked that the book is born out of his desire to share his experience during his time as President and the Chairman of the National Assembly for the benefit of the country’s democracy.
According to him, the book titled ‘Standing Strong’ is about the truth that democracy can only flourish in Nigeria and Africa at large on the bedrock of due process and the rule of law.
“Today is about truth and a book born from it, I present to Nigerians and leaders of the African continent the simple truth that for democracy, political stability and economic growth to flourish in Africa, we must strive to maintain due process, due process is the act of rule of law and democracy.
“In 2007, this principle prevented a possible truncation of democracy because we stood strong on due process a bid to extend Obasanjo’s tenure beyond the constitutional limit failed flat. Like is the saying that every generation will discover its mission either fulfilled or betrayed.
“Let me suggest to us that this point in our political history, our mission in Nigeria is to strengthen the institutions of our democracy and ensure that our democratic gains are not lost in our urgly past.
“Internal vigilance is the price of democracy and liberty. Our vigilance for democracy requires that we learn from history, the history of success and the history of failure. This is the reason why I wrote this book to remind us of the dangerous part we could have taken but for the vigilance and courage of some legislators, and to challenge of never abandoning the responsibility of protecting due process for our democracy to survive.
“Our democracy was tested in 2006, it passed, it was tested again in 2015 and it passed. These have culminated in the Buhari presidency, the crucial 2015 test would not have been if it failed the 2006 test. The 2006 test was a test of whether leaders would rise above fear and the politics of the strong man to strengthen democracy by following due process. It was a case of the solidity of our legislature.
“The 2015 test was a test of whether the ruling political party and the incumbent president would have the grace and patriotism to accept political defeat and allow the opposition to form a new government.
“Many African countries made that mistake, and the results was a collapse of national consensus and a resort to authoritarian politics with attendant political instability and economic stagnation.
“We owe to the integrity, courage and seeming determination of President Muhammadu Buhari and the humility and graciousness of President Jonathan that Nigeria reached the important milestone of countries that have operated democracy by peacefully transferring power to opposition,” he said.
Senator Nnamani stressed that the future of the country depends on the building of great institutions and matching it with great leadership.
Other speakers at event include the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Prof. Adebayo Williams, General T. Y Danjuma, Dr. Emeka Offor, Ooni of Ice, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, among others.
Other dignitaries who were represented at the event include Dr. Gen. Yakubu Giwon (rtd), Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd), Mai Mala Buni, Governor of Yobe State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State, HRM Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha, and host of others.