President Bola Ahmed Tinubu again on Sunday raised the citizens’ hope, asking them to expect a new dawn of prosperity, peace and progress soon.
Tinubu gave the assurance in his first Christmas message, as president, to all Nigerians.
His assurance came amidst the biting cost of living crisis in the land, which is believed to be largely triggered by his administration’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and currency floating.
He pledged his administration’s commitment to implementing measures to ease the burden on the most vulnerable, address current hardship and alleviate the suffering of all Nigerians.
State governors and the leadership of the National Assembly equally extended goodwill messages to Christian faithful and other Nigerians, charging them to embrace peace and unity.
Xmas: My gov’t will continue palliative measures to alleviate suffering of Nigerians – Tinubu
Wanted: Tinubu’s one-point agenda
President Tinubu noted that this year had been a time of transformation and relentless change in the country.
He said he was aware that the necessary reforms being implemented to achieve a more prosperous, peaceful nation for all had imposed “unique sacrifices.”
“Fellow Nigerians, as we navigate this transition to stability, prosperity and Renewed Hope, I urge you once more to hold fast and rest assured of my commitment to govern with vision, dedication and empathy.
“Be confident that by the strength of our joint endeavour, we will shortly emerge into a new dawn of prosperity, peace, and irreversible progress,” the president assured.
According to him, this is a time to look out for one another “because amidst the festivities, this time of year for many will be tinged with sadness: some mourning the loss of loved ones and others grieving the hopes that failed to materialise and the dreams that fell short.”
He stated: “Christmas is a special time of the year for all of us. For Christians, this time of the year marks the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrates the hope and redemption that are the hallmarks of Christ’s life.
“For people of all faiths, this is an opportunity to enjoy the company of family, celebrate life, and delight in the gifts of love and friendship that make life worthwhile.
“In the spirit of Christmas, reflecting the best of Christ, let us all endeavour to extend the warm embrace of kindness to those around us who need it and let the multiple acts of kindness serve as a light that guides us into a happy and wonderful new year.
“As you celebrate this season, please spare a moment of remembrance and prayer for the men and women of our nation’s Armed Forces, bearing arms in our names and ensuring our safety. My God protect them and bring them back to their families.
“And let us together commemorate the memory of those who, in their service, have paid the highest price for our nation. May God bless their souls and comfort their families and loved ones.
“Let the light of Christmas guide our paths as we bring this year to a close and usher in the New Year,” he urged.
President Tinubu wished all Nigerians a merry Christmas.
Akpabio, Barau urge sacrifice, say govt committed to economic revival
Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on Nigerians to remain steadfast and hopeful regardless of the hard times citizens are experiencing.
He expressed optimism that the pains Nigerians were going through, occasioned by series of socio-economic upheavals, shall manifest in positive outcomes through the visionary development architecture of the current national leadership in the country.
Akpabio, who made the call in a Christmas message by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, enjoined the Christian faithful to “pray and be hopeful because with the birth of Jesus Christ, who is our symbol of hope, love and redemption, Nigeria will also overcome its current challenges”.
Similarly, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, rejoiced with Christians on this year’s Christmas, urging all citizens to intensify prayers for the peace, unity and progress of the country.
Barau, in a statement by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir, enjoined the Christian faithful not to forget the essence of Christmas on the altar of merriment, but to seek refuge in God through prayers for a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.
He also urged all Nigerians to rekindle their trust in the Renewed Hope Agenda under the purposeful, caring and humane leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Let’s unite for greater good of our nation – Atiku
A former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, in his Christmas message to Nigerians, called on them to use the season to pray for peace and all-round development and progress in the country.
The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general elections also urged Nigerians to embrace peace and unity at this period and to love one another for the sake of progress and growth of the country.
Atiku said: “Christmas is a time of love. Therefore, I call on all Nigerians to emulate the essence of this season and unite for the greater good of our dear country.
“Christmas is the season of love, joy, generosity and forgiveness and while we celebrate with family and friends, we should also spend time to pray for a more peaceful and prosperous nation as it is important for Nigerians to inject the healing and unifying serum of love for our neighbours into the nation’s consciousness, this Yuletide.”
He also enjoined Nigerians to use this time to rededicate themselves to the virtues of “faith in God, love for one another and make these virtues more evident and practical in their daily living.”
“As we celebrate, we should continue to extend hands of love and fellowship to our neighbours and live as one big family, irrespective of our social, political and religious leanings and continue to trust God for a better tomorrow and a greater country,” he further implored.
Poor governance has dampened Nigerians’ hopes – Obi
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last elections, Peter Obi has urged Nigerians to use the season of Christmas to appreciate God’s mercy on the people as a country.
In a Christmas message on his X-handle, Obi noted that the people were going through immense hardship but should not allow it to stop them from using the season to appreciate God for his numerous blessings.
He said that he fully appreciated “the difficulties of these times in the country, with the hardship and biting effects of bad government policies and poor governance have dampened the hopes of most Nigerians.
“The difficulties and challenges of this moment should not however hinder us from appreciating the essence of our creation and the importance of seeking God’s mercy at all times.
“Our current setbacks should not stop us as a people from aspiring to overcome present difficulties and realize the full potential of our blessed country.
“This season epitomizes love, peace, and joy for all mankind. These are values and longings that unify our common humanity in a feast of love,” he said.
Speaker Abbas, Deputy Speaker Kalu
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, enjoined Christians to emulate Jesus Christ, preach and live in peace as they celebrate this year’s Christmas.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the speaker called for prayers and supplication for Nigeria as Christians celebrate this year’s Christmas to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Abbas said it was incumbent on Nigerian Christians to emulate the virtues of Jesus Christ, which he said included love, sacrifice, peacemaking, tolerance, building consensus among the people, selflessness, among others.
Kalu, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Udora Orizu, rejoiced with Nigerian Christians on the occasion of this year’s Christmas, calling for peace, love and unity among citizens.
He also appealed for peaceful co-existence needed for development to take place.
Kano
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, in his Christmas message, signed by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, facilitated with the people of the state, particularly members of the Christian community, as they celebrate this year’s Christmas.
He called on them to rededicate themselves to the service of humanity in line with the true teachings of Jesus Christ which emphasizes tolerance, patience, care for needy and love for one another.
He enjoined people in the state to continue living in peace and adhere to traffic rules.
By Muideen Olaniyi, Abbas Jimoh, Balarabe Alkassim, Abdullateef Salau, Baba Martins (Abuja), Abiodun Alade (Lagos), Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin), Bassey Willie (Yenagoa), Usman A. Bello (Benin), Peter Moses (Abeokuta), Magaji I. Hunkuyi (Jalingo), Haruna G. Yaya (Gombe) & Raphael Ogbonnaiye (Ado-Ekiti)
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