Remarks by

His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo

At the Valedictory Session of the Federal Executive Council [EC (2003) No. 16]

Abuja, 21 May 2003

Let us thank Almighty God for His guidance in the last four years during which this Executive Council has steadily and consistently met to deliberate and take decisions for the governance of our country. We praise God for seeing this Administration through its full life, now concluded with the last elections.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all the members of this Council, who in one way or the other have made contributions to the electoral process in their various capacities leading to the success of the election. On behalf of the Vice President and on my own behalf, and for our victory at the polls, I whole-heartedly thank you for your time, energy and commitment. I would like to say that this victory belongs to all of us here and to the nation at large, as it confirms the maturing of democracy in Nigeria.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as members of this apex decision-making body, you all have been at the heart of progress, good governance and the consolidation of democracy in the last four years. At the inception of this Administration, we immediately recognised that public faith and trust in government had to be restored and the one obvious way of doing so, was that executive decisions be made as transparent as possible and the basis be seen to be entirely in the service, progress and development of the nation.

We accepted the challenge and thus we aimed to make this Executive Council the number one place where a team of Nigerians, in serving the nation and discharging their constitutional obligations, would not only put Nigeria first, but would be seen by members of the public to have done so, consistently, persistently and diligently. We chose Wednesday as the day of the week for Federal Executive Council sessions and I am pleased to report, we have maintained a good record of this weekly appointment with our call to service.

In so doing, we have succeeded in establishing the Federal Executive Council as an institution of democracy and major instrument of good governance. The Council has from week to week deliberated on and enunciated government policies, which you have individually gone out to implement to the best of your abilities. It has not always been easy to reach decisions, nor has it always been the case that the efforts at implementation have turned out perfectly. But then, no human effort is and can ever be perfect.

Let me say that each and every one of you deserves commendation for your contributions at all times. In those areas, where this Administration can largely claim success over the last four years, the Federal Executive Council has been the source of key decisions that have moved this country forward. Ladies and Gentlemen, you are leaving a legacy.

As a primary institution for the rebirth of democracy, the Federal Executive Council has learnt many lessons pertaining to its tasks. Institutionalising collective decision-making has taught us a few things about the complexity of the society and peoples for whom we carry the responsibility of leadership. Above all, we have been confirmed in our original belief, that collective responsibility is the most effective and most ethical process of determining the affairs of the nation.

Personally, I deeply value the experience of sharing my political mandate with you as the Executive team. In the process I have made many friends among you. We have all been opportuned to mutually assess ourselves; we have learnt to tolerate each other’s weaknesses and to respect each other’s strengths, while we have pursued our overriding objective of serving the nation.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in remembering our members who, sadly, have passed on during the period of our service. Let us once again pray that their souls rest in perfect peace.

The range and quality of character of members of the Federal Executive Council has confirmed my belief that it is possible to assemble a diverse team that can be trusted with the leadership responsibilities that the nation requires. We will of course continue to seek God’s guidance in our search for the best persons to continue the good work you have started. Like you, we will seek men and women, young and old, who are committed to giving their best in the service of God, man and our country, above all personal interests, without counting the cost.

Let me, at this juncture and on behalf of all of you, thank the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Chief Uffot Ekaette, as the Secretary of the Council, and all the staff of the Cabinet Secretariat, who had worked so painstakingly to produce accurate records and reports of our meetings.

One again, I say to all members of the Council, thank you. Well done. God bless. Au revoir!