Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, says President Bola Tinubu remains committed to safeguarding democracy in the country.
The Vice President spoke on Friday when he declared open a retreat for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
VP Shettima promised to use his position to continue to ensure an unbreakable friendly bond between the executive and the legislature in Nigeria.
Accordingly, he assured the leadership of the National Assembly of the President’s avowed commitment to entrenching democratic ideals and values through collaborative partnership with all arms of government.
He said the unrivaled democratic credentials of President Tinubu, which include legislative experience, will continue to rub off on the entrenched and valuable governance style of the President, especially as it borders on respect for the rule of law, adherence to separation of powers as well as deference for constitutional rights.
The Vice President described the composition of the Nigerian government as well as the leadership of the National Assembly as historical, unique and a major pathway to Nigeria’s unprecedented development.
This, he said, is more so that the expectations of Nigerians would be met regardless of the present challenges.
The Vice President stated: “For the first time in our history, all the elected heads of our branches of government are produced by the hallowed halls of the National Assembly. For the first time in our history, the heart of the executive branch of our government is serviced by the alumni of the National Assembly. Both the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President are proud alumni of the National Assembly. The Secretary to the Federal Government is one of us.
“We cannot, therefore, afford to go to war. Not because we are going to overlook each other’s transgressions, but because you are going to engage with those who know the gravity of your work and would never take you for granted.”
Harping on the need for peaceful coherence among the arms of government, Vice President Shettima said given the composition of the National Assembly, it has become emphatic that ranks are closed in the bid to give unprecedented service delivery and democratic pact to the Nigerian people.
“There’s no place in this country where you can find a fraternal bond as enduring as the ones that bind the members of the National Assembly. From converging on Abuja to water the dreams, debate the needs, and mitigate the fears of this diverse nation, we have forged friendships that defy the stereotypes of our differences. Term after term, election after election, old and new members return and exit, but the burden of managing a diverse nation has ensured that we cannot afford to tread the path of divisions,” the VP noted.
He further reiterated the need for national cohesion, saying it has become non-negotiable if the country’s potential must be fully harnessed and tapped for the prosperity and generality of all Nigerians.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his continued support and deepened respect for legislative independence and harmony.
Other speakers at the event included President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of House Of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila among others.
Dominica Nwabufo
