His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
On the Occasion of His Swearing-in as President,
Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria
PROTOCOL
1.
My Dear Compatriots, I stand in humble gratitude to you,
this day, having just sworn to the oath of office as President,
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of our great nation.
2.
I thank you all, fellow citizens, for the trust and
confidence, which you have demonstrated through the power of your vote. I want
to assure you, that I will do my utmost at all times, to continue to deserve
your trust.
3.
I would like to specially acknowledge the presence in our
midst today, of Brother Heads of State and Government, who have come to share
this joyous moment with us. Your
Excellencies, I thank you for your solidarity.
I also wish to express my gratitude, to the Representatives of Heads of
State and Government who are here with us.
My appreciation also goes to the chairperson of the African Union and other
world leaders, our development partners, and all our distinguished guests.
4.
I want to specially thank all Nigerians for staying the
course in our collective commitment to build a democratic nation. To members of
the PDP family and members of other political parties, who have demonstrated
faith in our democratic enterprise, I salute you.
5.
At this juncture, let me acknowledge and salute my friend
and brother, Vice-President Namadi Sambo; and my dear wife, Patience, who has
been a strong pillar of support.
6.
I thank her for galvanizing and mobilizing Nigerian women for
the cause of democracy. In the same vein, I owe a debt of gratitude to my
mother and late father. I cannot thank them enough.
7.
I cannot but pay tribute to our late President, Alhaji Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua, with whom we won the Presidential election four years ago, when
I contested as his running mate. May
God bless his soul.
8.
I also wish to pay tribute to our founding fathers, whose
enduring sacrifices and abiding faith in the unity and greatness of our
country, laid the foundation for the nation. We take enormous pride in their
contributions. The pivotal task of this
generation, is to lift our fatherland to the summit of greatness.
9.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
earlier this year, over seventy-three million eligible Nigerians endured all
manner of inconvenience just to secure their voters cards, in order to exercise
the right to choose those that will govern them.
10.
At the polls, we saw the most dramatic expressions of the
hunger for democracy. Stories of courage and patriotism were repeated in many
ways, including how fellow citizens helped physically challenged voters into
polling stations to enable them exercise their franchise. The inspiring story of the one hundred and
three year-old man, and many like him across the country, who struggled against
the physical limitations of age to cast their vote, is noteworthy.
11.
Such determination derives from the typical Nigerian spirit
of resilience in the face of the greatest of odds. That spirit has, over the years, stirred our
hopes, doused our fears, and encouraged us to gather ourselves to build a
strong nation even when others doubted our capacity.
12.
Today, our unity is firm, and our purpose is strong. Our determination unshakable. Together, we
will unite our nation and improve the living standards of all our peoples
whether in the North or in the South; in the East or in the West. Our decade of development has begun. The march is on. The day of transformation begins today. We will not allow anyone exploit differences
in creed or tongue, to set us one against another. Let me at this point
congratulate the elected Governors, Senators, members of the House of Representatives
and those of the States Houses of Assembly for their victories at the polls.
13.
I am mindful that I represent the shared aspiration of all
our people to forge a united Nigeria:
a land of justice, opportunity and plenty. Confident that a people that are
truly committed to a noble ideal, cannot be denied the realization of their
vision, I assure you that this dream of Nigeria, that is so deeply felt by
millions, will indeed come to reality.
14.
A decade ago, it would have been a mere daydream to think
that a citizen from a minority ethnic group could galvanize national support,
on an unprecedented scale, to discard ancient prejudices, and win the people’s
mandate as President of our beloved country. That result emanated from the toil
and sacrifice of innumerable individuals and institutions, many of whom may
never get to receive public appreciation for their effort.
15.
Only a couple of days ago, I received an entry on my
Facebook page. It was sent by Mr. Babajide Orevba. He wrote to inform me that I
had lost
a great fan. That fan was his father, Mr. Emmanuel Bamidele Orevba. The deceased, the son told me, was no politician, but had campaigned enthusiastically for my ticket. Tragically, overwhelmed by the joy of our victory, he collapsed, and passed on three days later. I pray God Almighty to grant his soul eternal rest.
a great fan. That fan was his father, Mr. Emmanuel Bamidele Orevba. The deceased, the son told me, was no politician, but had campaigned enthusiastically for my ticket. Tragically, overwhelmed by the joy of our victory, he collapsed, and passed on three days later. I pray God Almighty to grant his soul eternal rest.
16.
The success of the 2011 elections and the widespread acclaim
which the exercise received was due to the uncommon patriotism and diligence
exhibited by many Nigerians, including members of the Armed Forces, National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and others. Unfortunately, despite the free, fair
and transparent manner the elections were conducted, a senseless wave of
violence in some parts of the country led to the death of ten members of the
NYSC and others. These brave men and
women paid the supreme sacrifice in the service of our fatherland. They are
heroes of our democracy. We offer our heartfelt prayers and condolences in
respect of all those who lost their lives.
17.
In the days ahead, those of us that you have elected to
serve must show that we are men and women with the patriotism and passion, to
match the hopes and aspirations of you,
the great people of this country. We
must demonstrate the leadership, statesmanship, vision, capacity, and
sacrifice, to transform our nation. We must strengthen common grounds, develop
new areas of understanding and collaboration, and seek fresh ideas, that will
enrich our national consensus.
18.
It is the supreme task of this generation to give
hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak and protection to the defenceless.
hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak and protection to the defenceless.
19.
Fellow citizens, the leadership we have pledged is decidedly
transformative. The transformation will be achieved in all the critical
sectors,
by harnessing the creative energies of our people.
by harnessing the creative energies of our people.
20.
We must grow the economy, create jobs, and generate enduring
happiness for our people. I have great confidence in the ability of Nigerians
to transform this country. The urgent task of my administration is to
provide a suitable environment, for productive activities to flourish. I
therefore call on the good people of Nigeria, to enlist as agents of
this great transformation.
21.
My dear countrymen and women, being a Nigerian is a
blessing. It is also a great responsibility. We must make a vow that, together,
we will make the Nigerian Enterprise thrive.
22.
The leadership and the followership must strive to convert
our vast human and natural resources into the force that leads to a greater Nigeria. The Nigeria of our
dreams must be built on hard work and not on short cuts. Let me salute the
Nigerian workers who build our communities, cities and country. They deserve
fair rewards, and so do the women that raise our children, and the rural
dwellers that grow our food.
23.
The moment is right. The signs are heart-warming. We are
ready to take off on the path of sustained growth and economic
development. In our economic strategy,
there will be appropriate policy support to the real sector of the economy, so
that Small and Medium Enterprises may thrive. Nigeria is blessed with enormous
natural wealth, and my Administration will continue to encourage locally owned
enterprises to take advantage of our resources in growing the domestic
economy. A robust private sector is
vital to providing jobs for our rapidly expanding population. But this must be a collaborative effort.
24.
We must form technical and financial partnerships with
global businesses and organizations. We live in an age where no country can
survive on its own; countries depend on each other for economic
well-being. Nigeria is no different. Returns on investment in Nigeria remain
among the highest in the world. We will continue to welcome sustainable
investment in our economy.
25.
We will push programs and policies that will benefit both
local and foreign businesses, but we must emphasize mutual benefits and win-win
relationships. The overall ongoing reforms in the banking and financial sectors
are therefore designed to support the real sector of the economy.
26.
To drive our overall economic vision, the power sector
reform is at the heart of our industrialization strategy. I call on all
stakeholders, to cooperate with my administration, to ensure the success of the
reforms.
27.
Over the next four years, attention will be focused on
rebuilding our infrastructure. We will create greater access to quality
education and improved health care delivery. We will pay special
attention to the agricultural sector, to enable it play its role of ensuring
food security and massive job creation for our people.
28.
The creation of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority
will immensely contribute to strengthening our fiscal framework, by
institutionalizing savings of our commodity-related revenues. With this
mechanism in place, we will avoid the boom and bust cycles, and mitigate our
exposure to oil price volatility.
29.
The lesson we have learnt is that the resolution of
the Niger Delta issue is crucial for the health of the nation’s economy. In the interest of justice, equity and national unity, we shall actively promote
the development of the region. I believe that peace is a necessary condition for development.
the Niger Delta issue is crucial for the health of the nation’s economy. In the interest of justice, equity and national unity, we shall actively promote
the development of the region. I believe that peace is a necessary condition for development.
30.
Fellow citizens, in every decision, I shall always place the
common good before all else. The bane of
corruption shall be met by the overwhelming force of our collective
determination, to rid our nation of this scourge. The fight against corruption
is a war in which we must all enlist, so that the limited resources of this
nation will be used for the growth of our common wealth.
31.
I am confident that we have every reason to look to the
future with hope. We owe ourselves and posterity the duty of making this
country respectable in the comity of nations. Nigeria, as a responsible member of
the international community, will remain committed to the maintenance of global
peace and security. We will
continue to play an active role in the United Nations. Our role in the African Union, ECOWAS, and the Gulf of Guinea will be enhanced to ensure greater human and energy security.
continue to play an active role in the United Nations. Our role in the African Union, ECOWAS, and the Gulf of Guinea will be enhanced to ensure greater human and energy security.
32.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, this
is a new dawn for Africa. We fought for
decolonization. We will now fight for democratization.
Nigeria, in partnership with the African Union, will lead the process for democracy and development in Africa. In particular, we will support the consolidation of democracy, good governance and human rights in
the continent. Africa must develop its vast resources to tackle poverty and under-development.
Nigeria, in partnership with the African Union, will lead the process for democracy and development in Africa. In particular, we will support the consolidation of democracy, good governance and human rights in
the continent. Africa must develop its vast resources to tackle poverty and under-development.
33.
Conscious of the negative effect of insecurity on growth and
development, my Administration will seek collaboration at bilateral and
multilateral levels, to improve our capability in combating trans-border crimes.
In this regard, we will intensify our advocacy against the illicit trades in
small arms and light weapons, which have become the catalyst for conflicts on
the African continent. All Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad are to accord
this vision of defending the dignity of humanity the highest priority.
34.
My fellow countrymen and women, Nigeria is not just a land of
promise; it shall be a nation where positive change will continue to take
place, for the good of our people. The time for lamentation is over. This
is the era of transformation. This is
the time for action. But Nigeria
can only be transformed if we all play our parts with commitment and sincerity.
Cynicism and skepticism will not help our journey to greatness. Let us all believe
in a new Nigeria.
Let us work together to build a great country that we will all be proud
of. This, is our hour.
35.
Fellow Compatriots, lift your gaze towards the horizon. Look
ahead, and you will see a great future, that we can secure with unity, hard
work and collective sacrifice.
36.
Join me now as we begin the journey of transforming Nigeria.
·
I will continue to fight, for your future, because I am one
of you.
·
I will continue to fight, for improved medical care for all
our citizens.
·
I will continue to fight for all citizens to have access to
first class education.
·
I will continue to fight for electricity to be available to
all our citizens.
·
I will continue to fight for an efficient and affordable
public transport system for all our people.
·
I will continue to fight for jobs to be created through
productive partnerships.
37.
You have trusted me with your mandate, and I will never,
never let you down.
38.
I know your pain, because I have been there. Look beyond the hardship you have endured. See
a new beginning; a new direction; a new spirit.
39.
Nigerians, I want you to start to dream again. What you see in your dreams, we can achieve
together. I call upon all the Presidential candidates who contested with me to
join hands with us as we begin the transformation of our country.
40.
Let us work together; let us build together; let us bequeath
a greater Nigeria
to the generations to come.
41.
I thank you! God bless you all! And God bless the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
ed
ed
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