He said the country had built on the gains of those early years fractured military incursion and was now stronger.

“We have conducted successive elections and have continually improved on the transparency and credibility of our electoral systems”, he noted.

“Remarkably, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has continued in the country’s proud tradition of being a bastion of democracy in the sub-region and across the world, as seen in the current administration’s lead intervention in ensuring representative governance and peaceful transition of power in the Gambia.

“On this momentous occasion, we should congratulate ourselves on the strides we have made in our political journey as a country since independence. For one, military rule is now distant memory in Nigeria.

“We must now work collectively to improve our democracy because regardless of its imperfections, democracy remains the best form of government that can best serve the interest of our people.

“As a Party in government, our commitment to address our current challenges, which find expression in the economy and security, remain unshaken. We urge all Nigerians to continue to pray and support the current administration’s effort to build a peaceful and greater nation,” he added.