Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Tuesday called for a consensus among Nigerians, especially the political elite, to build a country where no one is left to suffer or is treated unfairly on account of whatever differences.

AbdulRazaq said in a message commemorating the 59th Independence Day Anniversary that he plans to leave a legacy of equal opportunity, gender parity, youth inclusiveness, and fiscal discipline in the state. He also urged Kwarans across backgrounds to rally behind his drive for growth and development, according to a statement by his spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye.

AbdulRazaq said the Independence Anniversary offers another window to celebrate Nigeria’s unity in diversity, insisting the country’s togetherness after 59 years is an achievement on its own, the statement added.

It quoted AbdulRazaq as saying: “I join Mr. President and all patriots across the country to call on all Nigerians to embrace one another and build a country where we identify and treat ourselves only as citizens and fellow human beings, and not as Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Fulani, Christians, or Muslims. We should work harder to build a nation-state with zero emphasis on these cleavages,” the statement quoted him as saying ahead of a low-key celebration of the event in Ilorin, the state capital.

“Fellow citizens, 59 year down the road, we should build a country that works for all and not just for the privileged few. This requires that we look at the bigger picture each time we take decisions in our areas of influence. That bigger picture is national unity, national development and collective prosperity where no one is left behind.”

The governor called for a consensus among critical stakeholders to free up funds to develop Nigeria, especially in his Kwara State where he charged citizens to shun antics that may keep the state going round in circles.

“On this note, I call on the political class to begin to see things in terms of what benefits the whole community and not what is politically expedient. Election is long over. Whether we belong to the ruling party or to the opposition, we are all confronted with the question of extreme poverty, unemployment, drug abuse, the danger of climate change, crime, and other challenges,” according to the statement.

“I call for elite consensus to develop our country and our state. We don’t claim to know it all but I can assure you, fellow Kwarans, that we are concerned only about leaving a legacy of equal opportunity, gender parity, youth inclusiveness, and fiscal discipline.”

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