Full text of #Saraki’s speech on one-year anniversary in office

President of the Senate, and Chairman of the National Assembly

Federal Republic of Nigeria

JUNE 9, 2016

1. Distinguished colleagues; one year ago today, the 8thSenate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was inaugurated. That inauguration marks a further consolidation of our democracy and opens a new chapter in the practice of government by representation in our country.

2. Let me congratulate all of us, not only for the time we have spent here, but also for all that we have achieved together and all that we have planned to achieve for our peoples and our country as the highest legislative body in the land. Let me thank you all distinguished Senators for your patriotism, for the courage you have demonstrated and for all the hard work we have put into making this Senate a true bastion of our young democracy.

3. On behalf of all the Senators, I will also like to thank members of our various constituencies for the abiding support we have enjoyed over the past one year. We want to assure all across the length and breadth of our country that we are fully committed to continue representing your various and collective interests and aspirations.

4. Every generation of Senators will face its peculiar challenges. The task we set for ourselves and our understanding of our roles as Senators must therefore, reflect a robust understanding of the challenges that we face as a law making body at this time in our history.

5. The successful democratic transition that ushered in a new administration last year has re-ignited the hope of our citizens that democratic government truly empowers the people and is therefore ultimately capable of delivering real benefits to them and give them better quality of life. One year after, this remains the most important aspiration of our people: to be better off than they were in the previous year. Invariably, this must remain the most important priority of government: How do we make our people better off than they were before we came into office? This question, placed in the context of unprecedented decline in government revenue, underlines the economy and security as the two biggest issue of our time.

Read More >>>