Amidst the recession and hardship in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to renew their hope in the “God-ordained unity, progress and prosperity of our great nation and believe in the ability of his government to restore prosperity to the nation.
In his Christmas message to Nigerian Christians, Buhari said that though things are presently tough, Nigeria will triumph over the present challenging situations.
He said that the immediate priority of his government “is to alleviate the poverty of Nigerians by quickly stimulating the economy” assuring that “our government is doing its best to make life easier for all”.
Reflecting on the love of God for mankind, he said, “Jesus Christ during his early sojourn, repeatedly reminded his disciples and followers of peace that comes in the midst of trials and tribulations on earth.
The president who preached the “love of God aptly espoused in the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus Christ” said “there is no better time than now in our nation’s history to pray for divine guidance to get over our current challenges”.
Buhari stated that with collective resolve “We can have peace in Nigeria if we all learn to tolerate and appreciate one another, respect constituted authority; and be our brothers’ keepers in word and deed”.
He called on all Nigerians to “remember to offer special prayers to God for all our heroic citizens who paid the supreme price to restore peace and security in the North East and other flash points in the country”.
The President urged citizens to “remember in our prayers the security forces in the frontline in the continuing battle to rid our nation of terrorism and violence”.
He called for prayers and compassion for “the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in our midst and those who have suffered untold hardship as a result of activities of insurgents and terrorists
Also, Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Saturday felicitated with Christian faithful in the country as they celebrate Christmas.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki also urged Nigerians to use this 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.
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He reiterated the commitment of the 8th Senate at ensuring that the country regains her pride among the comity of nations through relevant and timely legislations.
He said the nation can only get out of the woods, when the citizenry resonate the teaching and doctrine of Christ.
“This is the season of love and forgiveness. It should not be seen only as a merrymaking period but as a time to pray fervently for a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“As a nation, we have passed through series of challenges but the fact remains that we can only surmount our economic crisis if we stay united, extend hands of fellowship to one another and be law abiding.
“We must also rededicate ourselves to the ennobling virtues of faith in God, love for one another, honesty and peaceful coexistence. It is time to make these virtues more evident and practical in our daily lives,” Saraki stated.
In doing this, the Senate President said the indomitable spirit of Nigerians will continue to enable people apply realistic and practical steps towards renewed prosperity for all.
He therefore wished all Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, urged to be upright and emulate the teachings of Jesus Christ.
In a statement 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.
Dogara noted that faithful adherence to the virtues of Jesus Christ, including love, unity, sacrifice and peaceful coexistence, which constitute the fundamental ingredients for development of any nation, will lead to the growth and stability of Nigeria.
He admonished Christians to use this period as one for sober reflection on the a cute challenges facing the nation and to see how they could apply the virtues of Jesus Christ in fashioning out workable measures aimed at pulling Nigeria out of the quagmire she has found herself in at this critical time.
While wishing everyone a happy celebration, Dogara assured Nigerians that the House of Representatives is working tirelessly to ensure that the promises in the Change Agenda are delivered for the benefit of all Nigerians in the shortest possible time.
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