By Ishaya Ibrahim
Nigerians are better off staying together was the message the All Progressives Congress (APC) preached on Monday as the country gets set to mark its 59th independence anniversary on Tuesday.
The ruling party which congratulated Nigerians on the country’s anniversary however admonished citizens to shun divisive tendencies as the country was better off as an indivisible entity.
A statement by the national publicity secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, praised the country’s founding fathers and hailed the tenacity of members of the armed forces.
“We remember and salute our founding fathers who fought for the independence of our great country and also members of our Armed Forces, many of whom have paid the supreme sacrifice to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and keep our country united,” the statement which was made available to TheNiche said.
“As a nation, we are better together than we are apart. Hence, we must be wary of those who hide under religion, politics, tribe and sundry groupings to turn us against one another. Despite our perceived differences, our strength and progress depends on our ability to harness our rich diversity.
“In spite of the inherited and our current challenges, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has made commendable strides on so many fronts, most significantly the fight against graft, diversifying and revamping the economy, curbing insurgency and emerging crimes, promoting positive values in our national life, strengthening our democratic institutions and processes and achieving a respectable international standing.
“Finally, we admonish well meaning Nigerians to engage only in acts that would heal our fault lines by promoting ethnic and religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence, which would engender Nigeria’s growth and development.
“As Africa’s most populous nation, we can do much better, given our natural resources and potential. The President Buhari administration is committed to building on and affirming our Giant of Africa status.”