I had the honour of chairing the 5th Anniversary Annual Public Lecture of the First Daily Group, and I commend the Publ
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:16 pm
An award was also presented to me, which I deeply appreciate as the Outstanding Lawmaker of Year.
In my remarks, I thanked all the dignitaries for finding time to attend, and particularly appreciated Bayelsans for coming to show support and solidarity. As I have always said, we are not many, and we need to support and encourage one another. That is what I have always tried to do. People should not destroy or pull down others. If you cannot help someone, leave the person alone. God will raise others to support and help them — so don’t destroy them or celebrate the downfall of anyone .
I also thanked other leaders like Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Ambassador Godknows Igali, Professor Azaiki, Barrister Okara, representatives of governors, others who were present. That is the right spirit — to encourage the few people we have who are striving to excel among many from other areas.
I said that Markson is a good man — a good seed that God used me to plant on good soil. As I mentioned, I referred to the parable of the sower: some seeds fall on rocky soil; others are devoured by birds — the devil uses them against those who plant. There are some that do well but do not bear good fruits or flowers. Rather, they become to thorns and begin to pierce the person who planted and watered them. But a few fall on good soil, germinate, bear fruit, and become a source of pride. Markson is one of such.
I am happy that he has completed his doctorate. That brings to about ten of my immediate aides who now have doctorate degrees within six years and are doing well in their various endeavours. We need more of our people to develop themselves and compete professionally — in Accounting, Banking, I.T., Journalism, Law, Medicine, Engineering, agriculture, and even in the Arts. Musicians, actors, and actresses from other nationalities make their people proud. We do not have many of them, and that is why, at every opportunity, I try to identify, nurture, and grow people. Even in the oil and gas sector which is primarily in our area for which we continue to pay a huge price, where are the big time players?
We need to develop and encourage our people on a long-term basis, which is why I place so much emphasis on education, scholarships, and schools. We must ask ourselves: where are the professionals doing well in the private sector? Everyone ends up in government, fighting and pulling one another down, destroying each other, and bad-mouthing others for appointments and patronage. After four or eight years, they are back to square one, and the cycle continues. Young people now have a new pass-time running down their leaders and benefactors on social media instead of working hard to develop themselves. Yet, those who do well in this country and around the world are not in government. They compete with their skills and shine nationally and abroad. While, for our people, with small government position, transient power and patronage, they see it as the end of life.
So, I encouraged Markson and others to continue striving to excel in the private sector.
For the theme of the Lecture, “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?” Dr. Sam Amadi delivered a brilliant lecture, and the panel discussed it excellently. I noted that the writing of election results is the greatest violation of the sovereignty that resides in the people. I have said repeatedly that such acts are akin to coup-making. Those who fabricate results and impose them on the people — electoral bodies, security agencies, and politicians who collude — are like coup plotters. They are plotting coups against the sovereignty of the people as enshrined in the Constitution. Nigerians must come together, sensitize, and mobilize themselves to stop vote rigging in all its forms, so that the sovereign will of the people can find true expression in our democracy.
Again, I congratulate the First Daily Group, and I urge all to continue supporting and encouraging them.
HSD
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4867249 ... 7S9Ucbxw6v
In my remarks, I thanked all the dignitaries for finding time to attend, and particularly appreciated Bayelsans for coming to show support and solidarity. As I have always said, we are not many, and we need to support and encourage one another. That is what I have always tried to do. People should not destroy or pull down others. If you cannot help someone, leave the person alone. God will raise others to support and help them — so don’t destroy them or celebrate the downfall of anyone .
I also thanked other leaders like Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Ambassador Godknows Igali, Professor Azaiki, Barrister Okara, representatives of governors, others who were present. That is the right spirit — to encourage the few people we have who are striving to excel among many from other areas.
I said that Markson is a good man — a good seed that God used me to plant on good soil. As I mentioned, I referred to the parable of the sower: some seeds fall on rocky soil; others are devoured by birds — the devil uses them against those who plant. There are some that do well but do not bear good fruits or flowers. Rather, they become to thorns and begin to pierce the person who planted and watered them. But a few fall on good soil, germinate, bear fruit, and become a source of pride. Markson is one of such.
I am happy that he has completed his doctorate. That brings to about ten of my immediate aides who now have doctorate degrees within six years and are doing well in their various endeavours. We need more of our people to develop themselves and compete professionally — in Accounting, Banking, I.T., Journalism, Law, Medicine, Engineering, agriculture, and even in the Arts. Musicians, actors, and actresses from other nationalities make their people proud. We do not have many of them, and that is why, at every opportunity, I try to identify, nurture, and grow people. Even in the oil and gas sector which is primarily in our area for which we continue to pay a huge price, where are the big time players?
We need to develop and encourage our people on a long-term basis, which is why I place so much emphasis on education, scholarships, and schools. We must ask ourselves: where are the professionals doing well in the private sector? Everyone ends up in government, fighting and pulling one another down, destroying each other, and bad-mouthing others for appointments and patronage. After four or eight years, they are back to square one, and the cycle continues. Young people now have a new pass-time running down their leaders and benefactors on social media instead of working hard to develop themselves. Yet, those who do well in this country and around the world are not in government. They compete with their skills and shine nationally and abroad. While, for our people, with small government position, transient power and patronage, they see it as the end of life.
So, I encouraged Markson and others to continue striving to excel in the private sector.
For the theme of the Lecture, “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?” Dr. Sam Amadi delivered a brilliant lecture, and the panel discussed it excellently. I noted that the writing of election results is the greatest violation of the sovereignty that resides in the people. I have said repeatedly that such acts are akin to coup-making. Those who fabricate results and impose them on the people — electoral bodies, security agencies, and politicians who collude — are like coup plotters. They are plotting coups against the sovereignty of the people as enshrined in the Constitution. Nigerians must come together, sensitize, and mobilize themselves to stop vote rigging in all its forms, so that the sovereign will of the people can find true expression in our democracy.
Again, I congratulate the First Daily Group, and I urge all to continue supporting and encouraging them.
HSD
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4867249 ... 7S9Ucbxw6v