Speaking on Thursday at a public lecture held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, to commemorate the 2026 Democracy Day celebration, Senator Akume urged Nigerians to play active roles in strengthening democratic institutions and safeguarding the country’s hard-earned civil rule.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey since the return to civilian governance in 1999, the SGF described the past 27 years as a period marked by resilience, determination and significant progress.

According to him, the country has successfully conducted eight consecutive general elections and witnessed peaceful transfers of power across political parties and regions, including a historic transition from a ruling party to the opposition.

While acknowledging the gains of democratic governance, Akume said Nigeria must confront lingering challenges threatening the credibility of its democratic process.

He identified electoral integrity as a major concern, stressing that allegations of corruption within the electoral system continue to undermine public confidence. “Democracy is not merely the act of voting; it is the guarantee that every vote counts equally,” he stated.

The SGF highlighted achievements recorded under democratic rule, including economic expansion, improved financial inclusion and investments in critical infrastructure such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.

He also pointed to reforms in the power sector and expanded access to education and healthcare through initiatives such as the Universal Basic Education programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Akume, however, cautioned against allowing ethnic, religious and regional divisions to weaken the country’s democratic foundations, even as he called for a sincere assessment of Nigeria’s democratic experience, urging citizens and institutions to interrogate their performance in meeting the aspirations of the people.

Describing the theme of the lecture, “27 Years of Democratic Governance: Achievements, Challenges and the Road Ahead,” as an opportunity for national reflection, the SGF challenged Nigerians to envision the kind of democracy they desire over the next 27 years.

“Nigeria is worth all our sacrifices and our democracy is worth defending,” Akume said.

“The present and upcoming generations are standing on the shoulders of those who struggled for civil rule, and they have both the responsibility and the opportunity to build the nation our founding fathers envisioned and which our children deserve to inherit”, Akume noted.

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, in a statement on Sunday said that the rice is intended as palliatives for only the aged in the state.

According to the minister, “Following the decision of the Presidency to respond to the yearnings of the Nigerian people to make more food available at the grassroots, 1,200 bags were made available to each minister to further supplement the established channels of distribution such as state governments and civic organisations.

We need to reach out to our aged fathers and mothers at times like this to demonstrate the Omoluabi values of taking care of the old in the community. In the spirit of inclusion, it is important that we channel this intervention to mainly elderly citizens who do not have the strength to compete for welfare goods such as these at the established centres. We have taken their inventory and we are delivering to them.

Subsequent interventions will target other segments of the populace such as widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities and students in higher institutions of learning.”

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Honourable Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Saturday said the Kingdom assured that Saudi companies and investors would be encouraged to increase quality investments in the African continent in various fields.

To this end, the Kingdom has launched a Digital Market Initiative – IMPACT, which seeks to enhance access to digital services, raising the quality of life, and developing the digital economy for the attainment of regional cooperation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Saudi-Africa Summit also expressed grave concerns over the escalating violence and loss of civilian lives resulting from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestine, stressing the need for the cessation of all military operations in Gaza and the protection of civilians in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law.

African leaders and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a resolution tagged “The Riyadh Declaration Regarding the Situation in Palestine,” called on the international community to mount pressure on Israel to desist from further attacks and the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, describing it as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international laws.

The leaders called for a swift enabling of humanitarian organisations to play their role in providing humanitarian and relief aid to the Palestinian people, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), so as to halt the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and also emphasized the urgent need for de-escalation and a return to diplomatic dialogue to address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the relevant international legitimacy resolutions, in a way that guarantees the Palestinian people their right to establish their independent state on the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Upon the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-African Summit was convened on November 10, 2023, in Riyadh, to further develop the relations between Africa and the Kingdom and also forge ties that would promote strategic partnership between both sides.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highlighted the importance of the historical ties with the African continent and its growing interest in developing such relations with the Continent across the political, economic, investment, commercial, development, cultural and social fields.

On their part, the African leaders renewed their commitment to strengthening cooperation between the African countries and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, driven by the joint strategic partnership, avenues of common interests, and geographical, historical and sociocultural ties that the African continent shares with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The African leaders also paid glowing tribute to the early support shown by Saudi Arabia to herald and welcome the African Union while joining the G20 as a permanent member.

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed attended the Summit and held a bilateral meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman in the areas of investment and support for the ongoing reforms in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The President was accompanied by top Nigerian government officials.

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