Nigerians should remain committed to democratic ideals — Senator Kingibe

The senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, has urged Nigerians to remain committed to the ideals of democracy as it remains the best form of government. The senator whose victory in the February 25 election was affirmed by the Elections Petitions Court made the call in a statement yesterday in Abuja to mark the International […]

Nigerians should remain committed to democratic ideals — Senator Kingibe

Ireti Kingibe

The senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, has urged Nigerians to remain committed to the ideals of democracy as it remains the best form of government.

The senator whose victory in the February 25 election was affirmed by the Elections Petitions Court made the call in a statement yesterday in Abuja to mark the International Democracy Day.

She noted that despite the hiccups and the challenges faced by the nation since its return to democracy, Nigeria has held together and fared better under civilian democratic rule than it did under authoritarian regimes.

“As we mark the International Day of Democracy, it is fitting that we celebrate the gains achieved by our adherence to the rule of law, while it is indubitable that we are not where we had expected to be when we commenced this democratic journey in 1999.

We have certainly made progress in terms of greater respect for the rule of law, the dignity of the human person, and the fundamental human rights of Nigerians. We must consolidate on these gains as we press for more commitment from everyone including governments across all levels, for greater tolerance and acceptance of our ethnic and religious diversity.

“It is an incontrovertible fact that the things that bind us together as a people are far more resilient than the centrifugal forces threatening our unity. If we stand firm and together, we will defeat these forces, and only then can our nation fulfill its manifest destiny of being the voice of black peoples everywhere in the world,” the lawmaker said.