I congratulate you for witnessing another great day in the life of our dear state. Today marks the 19th anniversary of the creation of Ekiti State and the 55th independence anniversary of our country, Nigeria, from colonial powers.
But today calls for sober reflection, going by events in and around our nation. The situation has never been this bad in the country and there is nothing to celebrate.
Our country is growing in age as an independent country, but there is no corresponding growth in values. Those who are supposed to help propel those core values are muzzling the opposition and the imaginary enemies.
The current leadership in the country should have the courage to probe all the leaderships of the past. There should be no sacred cow, if truly they have anything to offer.
The mismanagement of yesteryears, especially since we started the Fourth Republic, should be probed. It will not augur well for our nation, if we are selective in the dispensation of justice. Leaders must be equitable and fair to all.
Everybody must be diligent in playing our parts. The current civilian dispensation in the country must be supported and allowed to thrive.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan played his role and posterity will have a good place for him in history.
He anchored free, credible and fair polls that ushered in the current leadership in the country. President Jonathan should be declared the hero of our democracy and a man of honour.
We must not forget that corruption, terrorism and lack of peace have their foundations traced to election rigging.
The Federal Government must address the dwindling economy and stop selective fight against corruption and the harassment of the opposition.
If President Muhammadu Buhari believes in democracy, he will be judged in the way he handles Kogi and Bayelsa governorship polls.
Once again, I call on President Buhari to remove the acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral (INEC), Mrs Amina Zakari; and the Director-General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Alhaji Lawal Daura. This will prove that another dictator is not in the making.
On my part, I will continue to live a life of service which accounted for my returning to office after eight years of my illegal removal from office by one of the worst dictators in history.
Getting our economy out of the woods calls for the cooperation of all. We must get our priority right and do what is proper. Let us rediscover agriculture which used to be the mainstay of our economy before the discovery of oil.
I cannot end this broadcast without appreciating you, the good people of Ekiti State, for your support and for standing by me during turbulent periods.
It is with your support that we were able to checkmate those who wanted to throw our state into confusion.
I pray that we will not witness a return to those years of locust again in our dear state.
I am also reiterating that I will not let you down and will continue to enhance your living conditions and welfare, in spite of the financial challenges we are facing.
As you all know, we inherited a huge debt burden and revenue from the Federation Account is getting smaller each passing month. But I know that with your prayers and support, those problems are not insurmountable.
Notwithstanding the huge debt my administration inherited from the immediate past administration, and coupled with the lean purse and dwindling allocations from Abuja, it is worthy of note that within one year of my inauguration, I have been able to make a very glaring difference bordering on good governance, regular payment of workers’ salaries and entitlements, maintenance and sustenance of peace and order in the state.
With you on my side, we will get to our Promised Land.
I implore you all to continue to support my administration. All of us cannot be in the same political party, but destiny has brought us together in this state.
The party in itself is not as important as the kind of person who the driver of the party is. We have no other place to call our own, but Ekiti State.
I wish to close this address by making it clear that in Ekiti, we cannot afford the funding of today’s celebration at the expense of payment of our workers’ salaries which is very paramount to my administration because I am not given to playing to the gallery.
While, I wish everybody happy celebration, I enjoin you to stay at home for the celebration.
Long live Ekiti State. Long live Nigeria.
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