I am happy to join the array of eminent Nigerians
present here today, as we celebrate the 2018
Nigeria democracy day which marks the 3rd year
of this administration and to reflect on the progress
we have made in our democratic journey and
governance in the last three years.
2. A government elected by the people, must
continually be in touch with the aspirations of the
people, and work for their highest possible good.
3. The theme of this year’s celebration “Peace
Building and Good Governance for Sustainable
Development" has been carefully selected to
reflect our current opportunities and challenges. 4. We have experienced rough times, but through
good governance we have not allowed ourselves to
be overawed by the existing of challenges. Weak
governance is often at the core of rising inequality
and unequal development resulting in social
disruption and political unrest with negative impacts on growth and development.

5. Accordingly, we have engaged in several rounds
of dialogue and town hall meetings, targeted at
peace building, between the aggrieved and in some
cases warring factions and communities. We have
worked hard to dialogue with and if they turn unreasonable decimate insurgents in various parts
of the country.
6. We are still grappling but successfully, with
border disputes and restoring the much needed
peaceful co-existence amongst our people and
neighbouring countries. The rebuilding of the North
East is ongoing, to return our internally displaced
brothers, sisters and children to their ancestral homes.
7. Our resolve to fight corruption was informed by
the realisation that reducing corruption and
ensuring the effective and just utilisation of public
resources, are crucial for achieving sustainable
growth and development in Nigeria. Corruption has
been at the root of most of the development challenges of our country. There can be no progress
in any facet of our national life unless we tackle and
curb corruption.
8. Good governance is the polar opposite to
corruption. Accordingly, we will not relent in our
efforts to eliminate it regardless of the opposition. It
manifests itself in several forms including
accelerating poverty, conflicts and civil
disturbances, as those who feel short-changed, resort to violence and destruction.
9. The security in the country today has
considerably improved against the background of
what we met in May 2015. Incidences of bombings
in towns and villages have been drastically
curtailed, series of plots have been averted and
stopped and culprits arrested through the vigilance, patriotism and professionalism of our security
agencies. The entire country has been freed from
occupation of any of its parts by insurgents.
10. While we grieve with our compatriots who have
lost relatives and properties, we are unrelenting in
equipping and preparing our troops to confront the
agents of violence, who have been engaging in
banditry and reckless killings in various parts of the
country under whatever guise, until total victory is achieved. Again it is pertinent to note that
insurgency and terrorism are world-wide
phenomena affecting even the best policed nations.
11. Our Economy is on the mend. We have achieved
a good number of our set objectives, notably
increased food production and food security;
increased economic diversification into sectors that
were hitherto neglected or under-explored.
12. Our foreign reserves have reached new heights
and the outcome in respect of investments in
infrastructure expansion are manifest everywhere.
13. Overall, we are on track. I thank and commend
all who have worked so hard with us to achieve
these successes. I assure you that our people will
continue to see and experience more progress,
more prosperity and greater security. 14. Finally, I call on Nigerians to remain steadfast
and to keep faith with this Administration, as we
remain committed to peace building and good
governance, to deliver the best of dividends of
democracy to the Nigerian people. Thank you and God bless.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/president-buharis-speech-2018-democracy-day-lecture/