A Defining Moment in our March to Progress
- By Super Admin
- Published 09/20/2010
- Speeches
- Unrated
Being Text of an address by His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr.) Aliyu Akwe Doma, OON (Madauchin Doma), Executive Governor of Nasarawa State on the Occasion of his Public Declaration to Contest for the Office of Governor for the Second Term in the 2011 General Elections, Lafia, Monday, 20th September, 2010.
PROTOCOL
It is with gratitude to Almighty God that I address you today, at this defining moment in the history of Nasarawa State.
My good people of Nasarawa State, you would all recall that about four years ago, I humbly requested you to give me the opportunity to serve you in the capacity of Executive Governor.
Your response was overwhelming. You came out in your numbers to express your support and solidarity. At the end of it all, you delivered to me an overwhelming mandate in the 2007 gubernatorial election under the platform of our great Party, the PDP.
My dear brothers and sisters, I cannot thank you enough for this gesture of confidence and trust.
In the same vein, it is imperative for me to use this opportunity to pay glowing tribute to the founding fathers of Nasarawa State for their sacrifices and dogged determination in the quest for our self reliance and self actualisation. I express special gratitude to them for the confidence, inspiration and trust which I enjoyed as the arrowhead of the movement for the creation of Nasarawa State.
It is gratifying to note that the labour of the founding fathers has not been in vain. Dead or alive, they cannot but hold their heads high as their noble acts of self-sacrifice has crystallized, such that today, our State and our people occupy their rightful places in the scheme of things in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May the Souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is against this historical background that on assumption of office in 2007, we rose up to the challenge of laying a solid foundation for the State by drawing a definite connection between democracy and development.
To this end, we formulated a 13-Point Agenda which became the guiding philosophy of our Administration. The Agenda, which sums up the vision and mission of my Administration, is designed to address, among other things, the critical issues of Security, Agriculture, Education, Cultural Reorientation, Health, Economic Empowerment, Urban Development, Rural Development, Tourism, Housing, Industrialisation, Solid Mineral Exploitation, and Civil Service Reorganisation.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is significant to point out that in the three and a half years of our stewardship, Nasarawa State has recorded remarkable progress in virtually every facet of development.
We have built an unprecedented network of roads across the State. We have upgraded our urban centres to befitting status. Our Badakoshi Agricultural Scheme has spurred agricultural revolution in the State. Today, our State is a major exporter of Yam to the outside world. Our youths and women are being economically empowered through our Skills Acquisition Schemes. We have invested substantially in revamping our educational and health sectors. Our various housing projects are on course, with the 500-unit housing project for Civil Servants, almost completed.
New water schemes have been provided for several communities across the State, while existing ones have been rehabilitated, upgraded and expanded to meet the needs of our people. We have provided rural electrification schemes in various communities.
In the pursuit of our cultural policy, Nasarawa State has won many outstanding national and international awards. The State Civil Service has been professionalised and repositioned for effective service delivery.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is gratifying to note that our modest efforts have not passed unnoticed by the generality of our people, and other Nigerians. From across the length and breadth of the State, we have received public commendations on the positive impact of our policies on the lives of the people.
I, therefore, owe it as a duty at this point, to express my profound gratitude to the people of Nasarawa State for your continuous support to me and to my Administration. This happy development, no doubt, contributed to the level of achievements so far recorded.
Ladies and gentlemen, for sometime now, I have come under tremendous pressure from different individuals and groups across the State, urging me to run for a second term as Governor of Nasarawa State. What is more, these calls culminated in major political rallies in the headquarters of the three Senatorial districts of the State, namely, Akwanga, Keffi and Lafia. With these developments, I cannot be more convinced of the sincerity and passion of the people of Nasarawa State to have me continue in office as Governor.
The import of this unanimity of opinion cannot be lost on me. Because the voice of the people is the voice of God, it is my belief that this invitation is a divine call for further service to the people of Nasarawa State. I must, therefore, heed it.
I cannot at this moment of our historical development decline to continue to guide into maturity, the State for which I have worked so hard to build. I cannot afford to place myself on the wrong side of history by turning down this historic gesture of honour and trust from my people.
Therefore, having deeply reflected on these events and developments, including consultations with my family and other stakeholders, I have now decided to answer the call of the people.
Accordingly, it is now my honour and privilege to declare that I, Aliyu Akwe Doma, humbly accept to offer myself as a candidate for the 2011 gubernatorial elections in Nasarawa State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps at this juncture I should remind us all of our resolve to also give our total and unalloyed support to the candidature of His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the 2011 Presidential Election. I urge us all to work hard to ensure the victory of the Goodluck/Sambo ticket. My brothers and sisters, there is no sitting on the fence - Goodluck for Nigeria! Goodluck for Nasarawa State!!
My dear people of Nasarawa State, today we begin another journey of destiny. Let us, therefore, all register to vote massively at the forthcoming general elections. Your registration and voting are crucial, as they will determine our future and our destiny.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would like to conclude this address by urging you all to continue to support our great Party, the PDP and to vote for all PDP candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
I thank you for your attention.
PDP! POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
PROTOCOL
It is with gratitude to Almighty God that I address you today, at this defining moment in the history of Nasarawa State.
My good people of Nasarawa State, you would all recall that about four years ago, I humbly requested you to give me the opportunity to serve you in the capacity of Executive Governor.
Your response was overwhelming. You came out in your numbers to express your support and solidarity. At the end of it all, you delivered to me an overwhelming mandate in the 2007 gubernatorial election under the platform of our great Party, the PDP.
My dear brothers and sisters, I cannot thank you enough for this gesture of confidence and trust.
In the same vein, it is imperative for me to use this opportunity to pay glowing tribute to the founding fathers of Nasarawa State for their sacrifices and dogged determination in the quest for our self reliance and self actualisation. I express special gratitude to them for the confidence, inspiration and trust which I enjoyed as the arrowhead of the movement for the creation of Nasarawa State.
It is gratifying to note that the labour of the founding fathers has not been in vain. Dead or alive, they cannot but hold their heads high as their noble acts of self-sacrifice has crystallized, such that today, our State and our people occupy their rightful places in the scheme of things in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. May the Souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is against this historical background that on assumption of office in 2007, we rose up to the challenge of laying a solid foundation for the State by drawing a definite connection between democracy and development.
To this end, we formulated a 13-Point Agenda which became the guiding philosophy of our Administration. The Agenda, which sums up the vision and mission of my Administration, is designed to address, among other things, the critical issues of Security, Agriculture, Education, Cultural Reorientation, Health, Economic Empowerment, Urban Development, Rural Development, Tourism, Housing, Industrialisation, Solid Mineral Exploitation, and Civil Service Reorganisation.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is significant to point out that in the three and a half years of our stewardship, Nasarawa State has recorded remarkable progress in virtually every facet of development.
We have built an unprecedented network of roads across the State. We have upgraded our urban centres to befitting status. Our Badakoshi Agricultural Scheme has spurred agricultural revolution in the State. Today, our State is a major exporter of Yam to the outside world. Our youths and women are being economically empowered through our Skills Acquisition Schemes. We have invested substantially in revamping our educational and health sectors. Our various housing projects are on course, with the 500-unit housing project for Civil Servants, almost completed.
New water schemes have been provided for several communities across the State, while existing ones have been rehabilitated, upgraded and expanded to meet the needs of our people. We have provided rural electrification schemes in various communities.
In the pursuit of our cultural policy, Nasarawa State has won many outstanding national and international awards. The State Civil Service has been professionalised and repositioned for effective service delivery.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is gratifying to note that our modest efforts have not passed unnoticed by the generality of our people, and other Nigerians. From across the length and breadth of the State, we have received public commendations on the positive impact of our policies on the lives of the people.
I, therefore, owe it as a duty at this point, to express my profound gratitude to the people of Nasarawa State for your continuous support to me and to my Administration. This happy development, no doubt, contributed to the level of achievements so far recorded.
Ladies and gentlemen, for sometime now, I have come under tremendous pressure from different individuals and groups across the State, urging me to run for a second term as Governor of Nasarawa State. What is more, these calls culminated in major political rallies in the headquarters of the three Senatorial districts of the State, namely, Akwanga, Keffi and Lafia. With these developments, I cannot be more convinced of the sincerity and passion of the people of Nasarawa State to have me continue in office as Governor.
The import of this unanimity of opinion cannot be lost on me. Because the voice of the people is the voice of God, it is my belief that this invitation is a divine call for further service to the people of Nasarawa State. I must, therefore, heed it.
I cannot at this moment of our historical development decline to continue to guide into maturity, the State for which I have worked so hard to build. I cannot afford to place myself on the wrong side of history by turning down this historic gesture of honour and trust from my people.
Therefore, having deeply reflected on these events and developments, including consultations with my family and other stakeholders, I have now decided to answer the call of the people.
Accordingly, it is now my honour and privilege to declare that I, Aliyu Akwe Doma, humbly accept to offer myself as a candidate for the 2011 gubernatorial elections in Nasarawa State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps at this juncture I should remind us all of our resolve to also give our total and unalloyed support to the candidature of His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the 2011 Presidential Election. I urge us all to work hard to ensure the victory of the Goodluck/Sambo ticket. My brothers and sisters, there is no sitting on the fence - Goodluck for Nigeria! Goodluck for Nasarawa State!!
My dear people of Nasarawa State, today we begin another journey of destiny. Let us, therefore, all register to vote massively at the forthcoming general elections. Your registration and voting are crucial, as they will determine our future and our destiny.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would like to conclude this address by urging you all to continue to support our great Party, the PDP and to vote for all PDP candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
I thank you for your attention.
PDP! POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
