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Moving the state forward
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY ALH. ALIYU AKWE DOMA OON (GARKUWAN DOMA) EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF NASARAWA STATE AT LAFIA, ON TUESDAY 29TH MAY 2007.
It is with special gratitude to the Almighty God that I have the honour and privilege to address you on this occasion of my inauguration as the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State on the platform of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This oath taking ceremony has brought to the climax the series of activities in the political transition programme.
Permit me therefore, to congratulate the outgoing President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR for the successful transfer of political power from one democratically elected Administration to another. This is no doubt, an enviable achievement for the Nation especially when viewed against the background of campaign of calumny orchestrated by enemies of democracy and those who do not wish our country well. I wish to also congratulate His Excellency, Alh. Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, GCFR for his landslide victory at the polls and his inauguration today as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I must not forget to extend similar congratulations to my immediate predecessor, His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdullahi Adamu (Sarkin Yakin Keffi) for facilitating a smooth transition programme in Nasarawa State.
Today affords me another opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation to the good people of Nasarawa State, for considering me worthy to be elected as the Executive Governor of the State at this critical moment of our history. I consider this a great honour and a challenge. However, although I have the determination and strong resolve to stand up to this great challenge.
I cannot on my own alone succeed, except by the special grace of God and the full support and cooperation of you all. It is therefore, my hope and indeed, my expectation that you will all join hands with me in the journey we are embarking upon today so that together, we shall share the joy of taking our state to the promise land.
My gratitude also goes to the security agencies for ensuring the peaceful conduct of all the elections in the State. Indeed, it is to their credit that all the security problems that have trailed the electioneering process were adequately contained. By this feat they have amply demonstrated once again, that the common man can always rely on them for protection. This development has in particular, given me the confidence that we can be in good hands. We solicit their continuous support in the maintenance of law and order and protection of lives and property in all nooks and corners of the state.
I also wish to use this occasion to extol the role played by our Royal Fathers, Religious Leaders and Civil Society Organisations for contributing in various ways towards building a virile democratic culture in the state. We have reached where we are today as a result of your individual and collective efforts, the memories of which will forever, remain fresh in our minds.
Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, today marks a turning point in my life. The oath I have just taken, symbolises the signing of a Social Contract with the people of Nasarawa state. Indeed, I am very conscious of the terms and conditions of this contract. Accordingly, in all that we shall do and under whatever circumstance, our administration shall be guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the manifesto of our great party and the aspirations of our people.
I am greatly inspired by the legacy left behind by my predecessor, His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr) Abdullahi Adamu, (Sarkin Yakin Keffi). We will therefore, draw from the programmes and policies of his administration and his leadership style to guide us as we go along. This idea is based on our conviction that he has served the State creditably and has successfully launched Nasarawa State on the path of development and greatness. What is more, he has projected the image of the State beyond the shores of Nigeria due to his towering political stature, sagacity and credentials. We shall consolidate these strides for the sustained development of the State.
No doubt, some emerging circumstances and exigencies of the moment may warrant strategic modifications and changes in certain policy directions and implementation processes. Where this becomes necessary, we shall do so without prejudice to the manifesto of our great Party and the imperatives of continuity.
It must however, be emphasised that all our plans and efforts will hardly achieve the desired purpose, unless we, as a people are collectively committed to nurturing and sustaining peace. We must therefore, come together as one people and join hands towards ensuring peaceful coexistence in order that development and meaningful progress would continue to thrive in the State.
The elections have come and gone, let us therefore, bury our grievances and any perceived differences. We must continue to eschew violence and promote brotherliness because we are one people with a common destiny.
At this juncture, I wish to once again call on my brothers who contested along with me for the office of the Governor but who were not lucky to get the peoples mandate. I do understand how they feel for it is not easy to come to terms with the loss in a contest of this nature. I appreciate that each an every one of them had the best of intention to provide quality leadership to our State. But as it were, not all wishes are horses. In every contest there must be a loser and a winner. What is paramount in the circumstance, is for the winner to be magnanimous in victory and the loser to be gallant in defeat. I therefore urge my fellow contestants to accept the situation in good faith and not to hesitate to lend us the benefit of their good intention and wealth of experience. Accordingly, I am using this singular opportunity to once again, extend my hands of fellowship to them all in the hope that they will come to our warm embrace so that together we can move the State forward.
Let me seize this opportunity to assure our Traditional Rulers that our administration would continue to accord them the respect, dignity and honour that they rightly deserve. They will continue to remain relevant in the scheme of things in order to effectively play their roles towards promoting development good governance and peace.
In conclusion, I wish to once again thank you all for the various roles that you have played to make today's ceremony possible. Indeed, I am so impressed and delighted by the turn out, galaxy and calibre of personalities who have come from all works of life and from all parts of the Federation and abroad to grace this occasion. It is my hope that this show of solidarity will remain a permanent feature of this Administration.
I thank you all and wish you safe journey back to your respective destinations.
May the Almighty God guide and bless us all.
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