Speaker Yakubu Dogara and
other reps at the palace of Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Olowo of Owo Kingdom in
Ondo State, Oba Dr. David Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi
The Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called on traditional rulers to
mobilise their subjects to support the present administration’s change agenda.
Dogara
said if Nigeria is to change, the traditional institution must play key role in
rallying support from their subjects to support the government.
He spoke
at the weekend when he visited the Olowo of Owo Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba Dr.
David Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi in his palace, according to a statement
issued by his spokesman, Mr. Turaki Hassan.
“As a government, we need support
of the citizens to make life better for them. We realise that we need active
participation of the people in the change agenda of the government,” he stated.
“We are
aware of what some people in some quarters are saying about the change promised
by this government. Government can only provide the enabling environment. Now
we have hope that change will definitely come because there is a clear
departure from tbe past.”
“Government alone cannot bring
about the change we need. We need active support and participation of the
citizenry and there is nothing that is impossible,” he added.
Highlighting
the role of citizen participation in the change agenda, he noted that while
government will provide the enabling environment for people’s businesses and
other aspirations to prosper, the people must engage in wealth creation.
“When we
talk about change – although a lot of people are beginning to ask when is the
change coming – we know that all we can do as government is to provide enabling
environment.
“And no
matter the question that is being asked, if you look at the set of people who
are there today as leaders, we know that there is change because there is a
clear departure from the past.
“But we
know that it is impossible for government alone to bring about the needed
change. Citizens themselves must determine that they want change and they
want to change at their own individual level.
We
believe that with the support and participation of the citizens, there is
nothing that cannot be achieved. There is nothing that we set our hearts to
achieve that we cannot achieve as a people.
“The
support of the traditional institution is important in sensitizing the citizens
to not only support the government but to be the change they want to see
and that is the way the society can change and we can restore the greatness of
this country.”
He
noted that the National Assembly is partnering with the executive to make the
change agenda a reality and not out to clash with any arm of government.
He
explained further, “In some cases people are wondering why the legislature is
quiet on some issues and why we are not fighting the Executive
“I want
to underpin the fact that we don’t see our role or relationship as collision
but supportive of whatever there is to achieve by the Executive to lessen the
burden of the people and improve living conditions.
“We
don’t adopt a posture just for the sake of proving that we have separate powers
as allocated to us by the constitution, we cooperate more to ensure that good
is delivered to the people.
“It is only when democracy is threatened that
we raise our voices, and I believe we have been doing that in this government
in how we handled the crisis in Kogi State House of Assembly. It was actually
an APC leader who led investigation into the matter and we condemned the
impunity even as members of the ruling party. This is the change we are talking
about.”
The
Speaker said as leaders, their primary responsibility is to work out
solution even in the midst of crisis.
On his
part, Oba David Olateru-Olagbegi hailed the Speaker for the leadership he is
providing in the House of Representatives and prayed to God to grant him more
wisdom.
Source:
osundefender
