President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, urged Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable to enable them to work for the country.
He also urged the people to be good followers and be law-abiding at all times.
Saraki said, “The followers should hold their leaders accountable and ensure they always act in the best interest of the people and country.”
The ex-Kwara State governor made the call in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, on Wednesday.
He called on the leaders sworn in on Wednesday to work for the development of the country and the continuous preservation of the nation’s democracy.
The Senate President congratulated Nigerians on the country’s attainment of 20 years of uninterrupted democracy and urged them to use democracy to institutionalise peace and development.
He advised Nigerians to take ownership of democracy and its institutions and use them to “entrench peace, welfare and improved standard of living for all our people”.
The statement added, “Democracy is about the people and the people should use democracy to achieve social justice, equity, inclusiveness and economic self-reliance.
“The benefits of a constitutional democracy far outweigh the challenges that have confronted the country since the return of democracy.
“It is my hope that every Nigerian will look back at how far we have come in the last 20 years and resolve to continue to preserve our democracy — not minding the observed lapses in the operation of the system.”