President Muhammadu Buhari has warmly felicitated with men, particularly in Nigeria, as the world celebrates another International Men’s Day, which thoughtfully places the spotlight on health issues, modeling and leadership roles, sacrifices and other multi-layered responsibilities of men, which include respect for women.
The President, in a statement on Friday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, reiterated the pivotal role of men in ensuring a safe, peaceful and progressive environment, given their visible positions in families, governments, communities, and leadership in religious, traditional and political institutions.
While recognizing the strong, influential and significant position of women in building the nation over the years, with evidence in their rising profiles, the President specially urged men to be guided in protecting and promoting democracy in Nigeria, by ensuring full participation in the forthcoming elections, 2023, adhering to regulations of the electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission and exploring redress in the courts.
On the theme of this year’s IMD, “Men Leading By Example”, President Buhari called on men to take the front row in safeguarding and protecting national assets and shun acts of violence, like targeting of the offices and stores of the electoral body, which only adds to the cost of governance and projects the country as unstable.
President Buhari believed every citizen’s voice and vote matters in the choice of Nigeria’s leadership and governance, urging men in the country to provide the needed example of decency and decorum, and mobilize for the greater good of nation building.
The President commended the Local Organizing Committee of the IMD for setting an agenda for the 2023 elections, and remaining faithful in sensitizing men to be more patriotic, responsive and inclusive in decision making, at home and in the public.
