As Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas, President Muhammadu Buhari, state governors and other political leaders have used the occasion to call for peace and unity so as to hasten the development in the nation.
In a statement, President Muhammadu Buhari called on Nigerians to unite and face the current challenges saying that his priority is to end poverty.
According to Buhari, the current hardship confronting Nigerians due to the economic recession, will be tackle as it remains the top priority of his administration.
The President assured Nigerians of the commitment of his administration to changing their lives for the better.
“Our immediate priority is to alleviate the poverty of Nigerians by quickly stimulating the economy. I assure Nigerians that our government is doing its best to make life easier for all. Let us therefore, renew our hope in the God-ordained unity, progress and prosperity of our great nation,” President Buhari said.
The Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Former Senate, Niger State governor, Sani Bello, All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) separately called for unity amongst Nigerians as they mark this year’s Christmas.
The President of the Senate, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, (Mediad Publicity) Yusuph Olaniyonu, urged Nigerians to use the yuletide season to rededicate themselves to the service of humanity in line with the true teachings of Jesus Christ which emphasizes selflessness, piety, brotherly kindness and love towards one another. an
Speaker Dogara in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, the speaker urged Christian to walk in Christ’s footsteps of love and peace towards one another, their neighbours and to humanity as a whole.
In a terse statement he personally signed, former vice president Atiku Abubakar said “this year, more than ever, Nigerians must pay keen attention to the message of love, peace and sacrifice, which Jesus preached during his time on earth”
Atiku regretted that “Over the past months, a number of dark forces have combined to accentuate divisions in our country. In the areas of politics, religion and tribe, there seem to have been constant restiveness, with people of different groups exchanging threats or actual harm.”
“That is why we need to remember the love that Jesus taught. We must love our neighbors as ourselves, do well to them and mean them well, whether or not they belong to our group. Nigeria cannot move forward as a country until each and every one of us realize that what is good for one should also be good for the other,” Atiku said.
In a similar message, the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello urged the people to remain hopeful for a better tomorrow and live peacefully in love and harmony with one another with adherents of other religions.
While calling on Christians to use the festive period to show love, Governor Sani Bello said “all Nigerlites and indeed all Nigerians, irrespective of our religious differences should share, show love, be our brothers’ keeper and be security conscious during this festive period.”
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, in his Christmas message, enjoined Nigerians to embrace the virtues of love and peaceful coexistence that the season symbolises.
The Governor, in a message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, urged Nigerians to also seize the moment to reach out to fellow Nigerians who are in distress at this period of the nation’s history.
Also, the apex socio-cultural northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) called on Nigerians particularly political leaders at all levels of government to use this Christmas period to imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ in all their dealings.
ACF in a message issued and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim said, “25th December of every year commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ the Messiah. Christians all over the world celebrate this day with prayers and activities of self-sacrifice, love and good neighbourliness”.
Similarly, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also appealed to Nigerians on the continuous need to exhibit perseverance, faith, hope and love as the country navigates from the economic recession towards progress and stability.
While calling on Nigerians to offer special prayers for the peace, unity and development in the country, the Party also urge Nigerians across religious divides to imbibe the virtues of tolerance, honesty, fairness, selflessness and peaceful co-existence which Jesus Christ spoused and exemplified during his earthly mission.
