By Nana Musa

The former Director General National Broadcasting Commission, Danladi Bako, has urged Nigerians to protect and cherish our hard-earned democracy.

He also enjoined them to ensure the sustenance of freedom of speech and freedom of association as contained in the constitution.

Bako made this known in a statement by his Media Assistant, Ibrahim Sani, on Thursday in Abuja.

He stressed the importance of appreciating the role of freedom, inclusivity, populism and prosperity in the tenets of democracy, adding that it was what makes it the most desirable and embracing form of government.

He emphasised that while it would seem that military regimes did achieve a lot using decrees and unilateralism, it was fraught with lack of grassroots participation and a properly elected legislature.

“Consultation and consensus building occasionally makes the procedural engagement of democracy look tedious and slow. It always, at the end of the day, results in actualisation of genuine contributions to the process of good governance as well as achieve tangible dividends of democracy.”

Bako, a former Commissioner of Information in Sokoto State, called on the huge youth population to get interested and participate actively in the electoral process and contest for elective positions.

“That way the country can benefit comprehensively from their energy and progressive ideas,” he said.

Bako praised the President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its effort at turning around the fortunes of the country, adding that Nigerians must support its policies especially the economic reforms to succeed.

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz