Governors have called on Nigerians to continue to uphold unity, peaceful coexistence, and resilience as the country marks its 65th Independence Anniversary.
In his Independence Day address on Wednesday, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, called on Nigerians to strengthen unity. He said unity remains the foundation of peace and prosperity, urging Nigerians across divides of faith, ethnicity, and background to work hand-in-hand in building the country envisioned by its founding fathers.
‘Their legacy was not forged in ease, but in unity, faith, and an unwavering belief in the greatness of Nigeria. It is this same legacy that should inspire us to continue building a nation where peace, justice, and opportunity prevail,’ he noted.
The governor, who said the nation’s greatest strength has always been its collective resolve to overcome adversity, described Nigeria at 65 as a story of hope, endurance, and togetherness, despite decades of political, social, and economic challenges.
Highlighting Kaduna’s contributions to national development, the governor outlined achievements in infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare, and peacebuilding, describing them as proof of what collective determination can deliver.
On infrastructure, he disclosed that 85 urban and rural road projects, spanning 785 kilometres, had been launched, with nearly half completed. According to him, the roads are easing trade, reducing travel time, and improving access to markets for farmers and entrepreneurs.
Governor Sani said education reforms had returned over 10,728 children to school under the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project, while 535 schools previously shut due to insecurity had been reopened. In agriculture, he said over 500,000 hectares of abandoned farmland had been reclaimed, and major markets in Birnin Gwari and Giwa had been reopened, boosting rural commerce and food security. In health, 255 Primary Health Care Centres had been upgraded across the state.
He emphasised that peace remains the bedrock of Kaduna’s progress, pointing to his administration’s investments in community policing, reconciliation, and dialogue.
Similarly, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Wednesday described unity and peaceful coexistence as the bedrock of development and prosperity. In a goodwill message to mark the 29th anniversary of Gombe State alongside Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, the governor noted that while challenges remain, Gombe has recorded remarkable achievements across critical sectors under his administration.
Reflecting on the state’s journey since its creation in 1996, Governor Yahaya paid glowing tribute to past leaders who laid the foundation for its growth. He pointed out milestones in education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, agriculture, industrialization, environmental sustainability, public service reforms, ease of doing business, youth and women empowerment, and regional water projects.
According to him, Gombe has in recent years bolstered healthcare and education, expanded infrastructure with the completion of rural and township roads, addressed long-standing environmental issues, and opened new economic frontiers through agro-livestock, agribusiness, and industrialization.
Governor Yahaya disclosed that his administration has constructed over 900 kilometers of roads across all local government areas, most of them adorned with solar streetlights, expanded healthcare facilities, and improved access to education through the construction of new classrooms and recruitment of teachers. He also revealed that over the past six years, his administration has disbursed over N25 billion in gratuities to state and local government retirees across the 11 LGAs, successfully clearing liabilities left by previous administrations, with some dating back to 2012.
Looking ahead, Governor Yahaya pledged to intensify efforts in empowering youth, supporting farmers, and improving the quality of life for families across the state. He urged citizens to remain patient and united amid ongoing economic reforms, assuring that these measures would ultimately yield a stronger, more resilient, and prosperous future.
Governor Yahaya, who is also the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), encouraged the people of Gombe and Nigerians at large to celebrate with gratitude for the progress made while renewing their commitment to building a future anchored on unity, prosperity, and opportunity for all.
Peacebuilding, recovery efforts succeeding – Zulum
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other Nigerians on the 65th Independence Day Celebration, acknowledged the challenges the country has faced over the past 65 years but emphasised that Nigeria has consistently emerged stronger. The governor called for continued unity, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence amongst its citizens.
He commended President Tinubu for his leadership and continued support to the armed forces and other security agencies involved in counter-insurgency operations in the North East, particularly in Borno State. Zulum, in a statement he personally signed, also expressed commitment to providing peace and development to Borno.
He said, ‘Our administration’s peacebuilding and recovery efforts are greatly succeeding. The integrated policies, designed to address the root causes of insurgency, build community resilience, and promote reconciliation, have been fruitful.’
Peace is foundation of progress – Bauchi Gov
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed also urged Nigerians to remain united and committed to the ideals of peace, democracy, and nation-building during the 65th Independence Anniversary. He implored them to continue to live harmoniously with one another and help make the State and country great.
In his goodwill message, the governor described independence as a milestone that ended colonial domination, granting Nigeria self-determination, political freedom, and opportunities for socio-economic and democratic growth. The governor highlighted his administration’s multi-sectoral agenda on infrastructure, security, and empowerment, disclosing plans for the Bauchi State Investment Summit in October to attract investors and unlock economic potentials. Mohammed, who described peace as the foundation of progress, pledged stronger security partnerships.
In his message, Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State called for a renewed commitment towards ending banditry and other forms of criminality hindering the nation’s march to greatness. The governor, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, described insecurity as one of the major setbacks to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development. He stressed the need for collective efforts to end the menace.
‘Governments at all levels, traditional rulers, religious leaders, as well as community leaders must work together if we are to end the activities of bandits in our rural areas,’ he said.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, while addressing youth groups at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, on Wednesday, said his administration’s priority is to strengthen youth empowerment and development through education, in recognition of their position in the state’s stability.
He highlighted his efforts by saying, ‘That’s why I lifted the embargo on employment, and employed more than 4,000 workers into the Kebbi civil service.’ He added that his administration had employed 2,000 new teachers, while professionals in the health sector, including medical doctors, nurses, and health technologists numbering 2,148, in addition to more than 500 casual workers, were absorbed as permanent and pensionable appointment.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that genuine collaboration between government and citizens is crucial to achieving the breakthrough Nigerians desire. Speaking at the 65th Independence Day celebration held at Lagos House, Marina, Sanwo-Olu noted that the anniversary theme, ‘Nigeria @ 65: All Hands on Deck for a Greater Nation,’ underscores the need for unity and collective effort.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, during a statewide broadcast to commemorate the 29th anniversary of Ekiti State and the 65th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, appealed to political parties, political leaders, and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully ahead of the parties’ primary elections later this year and the main governorship election in June next year.
Relatedly, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last election, Peter Obi, called on Nigerians not to despair, in spite of the prevailing socio-economic challenges in the country. Addressing journalists on the Independence Anniversary in Abuja on Wednesday, Obi said at independence, the founding fathers fought with confidence, passion, and determination to build a prosperous Nigeria.
He, however, said tragic failures of leadership derailed this vision.
He charged Nigerians to keep hope alive, saying, ‘With the right leadership, we can defeat terrorism, restore security, and guarantee Nigerians safe communities where enterprise and social life can thrive.’ He also called on political leaders to reflect on the crises confronting the nation and recognise this as a moment to transcend personal interests.
Also, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, urged Nigerians to rise above divisive politics and narrow interests, stressing that the nation’s survival and progress depend on unity and patriotism.
Dogara, in a statement to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, described the milestone as ‘a victory of courage over fear, of hope over despair, and of resilience over adversity.’
The former Speaker commended President Tinubu for what he called ‘bold and transformative reforms,’ including the removal of fuel subsidy, efforts to stabilise the Naira, and renewed focus on investment and enterprise. According to him, the policies, though painful in the short term, are laying the foundation for lasting economic recovery.
By Muideen Olaniyi, Baba Martins, Itodo Daniel Sule (Abuja), Haruna Gimba Yaya (Gombe), Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba (Kaduna), Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Maiduguri), Hassan Ibrahim (Bauchi), Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto), Ismail Adebayo (Birnin Kebbi), Raphael Ogbonnaiye (Ado-Ekiti) and Peter Moses (Lagos)