By NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
The New Nigeria Movement, a Civil Society Organisation has called on political leaders in the country to deliver dividends of democracy by prioritising the safety and welfare of the citizens.
The National Coordinator of the movement, Mr Ishaya Durkwa, made the call in a press conference to inaugurate the I-Vote Movement on Friday in Abuja.
Durkwa said since the beginning of this year, a critical question has been resonating across Nigeria whether people are better off today than they were yesterday in the quest for good-governance.
“Since the return to democratic governance in 1999, and in spite of five presidents promising a brighter dawn, each new regime seems to bring less hope and more profound hardship.
“The very essence of democracy, upon which its foundations were laid in 1999, promised something profoundly transformative: a demonstrably better life.
“This envisioned reality was not abstract; it meant the assurance of food on the table, consistent electricity, affordable healthcare, quality education, and jobs that could cover essential expenses.
“Until Nigeria consistently and genuinely puts its people first, with selfless leaders, we will remain trapped in a disheartening cycle of unfulfilled promises.”
He noted that genuine change is not merely about new faces in power but about a focus on serving the people.
“The true measure of a nation’s progress lies not in its statistical achievements but in the tangible improvement of the lives of its most vulnerable citizens,” Durkwa said.
He explained that for Nigeria to be proud of its 26-year-old democracy, the security and welfare of the people needed to be assessed.
Durkwa said that the time has come for Nigeria to break free from the unending cycle of recycled promises and empty political slogans.
“The way forward demands more than cosmetic reforms; it requires a complete shift in how we approach leadership, governance, and nation-building.
“This is why the ADC Coalition is a welcome development; it presents a timely opportunity for collaboration toward a shared national vision.
“However, for it to be truly transformative, we must go beyond familiar faces and entrenched structures,” he said.
According to him, the coalition must neutralise personalities and amplify a new generation of leaders, especially young people and women across all party organs and strategic decision-making platforms.
He said the future of Nigeria must not be built around the politics of name recognition but around the passion, competence, and sincerity of those who are ready to rebuild the nation, adding that the dream of a prosperous Nigeria is not dead.
“We must refuse to be spectators in our own story. Let us link arms, lend our voices, and build a nation where our children can dream without fear.
“There is hope for Nigeria, but only if we are bold enough to create it. Join the Movement for a New Nigeria,” he said.
NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA