Former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has warned that the country was far from the democratic promise envisioned by its founders and was now in desperate need of national salvation.
Tambuwal spoke on Saturday while explaining why activities marking his 60th birthday were deliberately framed around sober reflection rather than a big celebration.
He said he rejected a “merrymaking event” in favour of a lecture that would confront the stark realities facing the country, as he added the choice was intentional and symbolic.
“It is all about the people of this country. It is all about good governance. It is not about me, it is not about merrymaking. It is about looking for a pathway for our country.”
Painting a grim picture of Nigeria’s condition, Tambuwal said the nation has drifted dangerously from the aspirations that underpinned its democratic journey.
According to him, both the living and the dead who genuinely believed in Nigeria would be deeply disappointed by the current state of affairs.
“Whether we like it or not, where we are today is unfortunate. This is not where we expected to be. Those who laid the foundation for this democracy, some alive, many of them are not living. Even in their graves are not happy with the current situation in Nigeria.”
Tambuwal argued that the starting point for national recovery must be an honest admission that governance in Nigeria was fundamentally flawed.
“The only way out of it is for all of us to agree that there is something fundamentally wrong with what we are doing and having as government in Nigeria today. Therefore we must resolve to work together and bail out the country. Our country is in peril and we are looking for salvation.”
He emphasised that national rescue cannot be left to political parties alone, insisting that citizenship itself confers responsibility.
“And it is a collective process. It is not about partisanship. It is not about political parties alone but we must all be involved. Why? Because we are involved as citizens of this country. And we have nowhere to go to. And we have nowhere to run to.”
While agreeing that political parties must articulate clear programmes for governance, Tambuwal warned against a recurring democratic failure where individuals capture public offices only to perpetuate a cycle of poor leadership.
“Otherwise what has been described by Pat Utomi will continue to be people finding their way into the public offices and public spaces and then making sure that they continue either to remain or to bring in those that are even worse than them into those offices.”
Declaring that age had placed a heavier burden of responsibility on him, Tambuwal said he was recommitting himself to the ideals he had long believed in, regardless of the risks involved.
“I have attained this age and therefore I must also commit myself to what I had always believed in, even as a younger person. I may not be taking too much risk, even though I’m prepared to take some of these risks, but I recommit myself to working along with every Nigerian who believe in finding and enthroning good democratic governance for this country.”
Tambuwal urged Nigerians across divides to work together to rescue the nation, warning that failure to act collectively would only deepen the crisis and further betray the country’s democratic promise.