Christmas is here! And President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders have felicitated with Nigerians on the occasion of the celebration of the annual Christian religious event to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.
They advised Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of honesty, love, giving, meekness and hope which Jesus preached.
Apart from the President, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, their deputies – Ovie Omo-Agege amd Ahmed Wase have also saluted and greeted Nigerians.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) urged Nigerians to live peacefully.
President Buhari enjoined ”all Nigerians to imbibe and demonstrate the essence of the season of love; goodwill among all the ethnic groups in the country as well as giving and sharing.”
He added in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina, that the bonds of brotherhood and good neighbourliness must be strengthened and better focus-placed on “all that bind us together as one united country.”
Urging all Nigerians to “shun all actions which negate the spirit of the season,” he promised that since Christmas season was all about hope, Nigerians should look forward to a re-energised thrust of governance from the New Year, especially with the early passage of the 2020 Budget.
He said: “As Christmas indicates good tidings of hope and redemption, Nigerians can look forward to a turnaround in the administration’s priority areas of fighting corruption, providing security, economic diversification, job creation and infrastructure upgrade.
“Having recently signed the 2020 Appropriation Bill, I reiterate my promise during the presentation of the budget proposals before the National Assembly on October 8, 2019 that, ‘We remain resolutely committed to the actualization of our vision of a bright and prosperous future for all Nigerians.
“The 2020 Budget of Sustainable Growth and Job Creation will be rigorously implemented to further deepen its impact on the generality of our people.”
The President also explained his administration’s priority areas to include fighting corruption, providing security, economic diversification, job creation and infrastructure upgrade.
He warned those engaged in criminal activities to, in the spirit of the message of Christmas, turn a new leaf or face the full weight of the law.
The President assured that though the nation had in recent times recorded successes in the fight against crimes and criminals, the efforts would rather be intensified, than letting the guard down.
He added: “In line with the spirit of Christmas, I call on all elements whose actions are opposed to what the season represents, especially, insurgents, terrorists, armed robbers, kidnappers and economic saboteurs, to retrace their steps and join people of goodwill and common humanity.
“If they fail to heed this call, they will meet their end as the armed forces, security and law-enforcement agencies are poised now to confront and defeat them.
“While it is gladdening to note that incidents of violence and conflicts have reduced drastically owing to the several operations embarked on by our security agencies, we must not let our guards down.”
He urged Nigerians to remember men of the armed forces who are making sacrifices for the safety and peace of all Nigerians.
The President also charged motorists to drive safely during the season and urged men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to ensure strict compliance to road rules.
He said: “As we celebrate Christmas, let us remember to pray for members of our armed forces and other security agencies who are making so much sacrifice to protect us from people of evil intent. We should also extend love to the families of those whose bread-winners made the ultimate sacrifice while defending their fatherland.
“I appeal to motorists to drive with care this festive season, while road safety and security officials should ensure compliance with safety measures to avoid needless accidents and attendant loss of life and property.”
Senate President Lawan urged Nigerians to embrace ”peace, love, tolerance and self-sacrifice” which were the virtues of Christ.
He stressed the need to render help to the weak and vulnerable members of the society.
He said: “I heartily felicitate with Nigerians, particularly the Christian faithful, on the Christmas and New Year festivities.
“Christians and Nigerians in general must not forget the essence of the season, which is a reminder of the birth of Jesus Christ and the ideals for which he lived.
“The birth of Jesus Christ is a great example of humility. He lived and preached peace, love, tolerance and self-sacrifice, and left mankind with the hope of eternal joy. These virtues transcend religion and deserve to be embraced by all Nigerians especially as we go through the challenges of nation-building and development.
“In the spirit of the season, we as a people and government must remember the weak and the most vulnerable in our midst and do the best we can to bring them succour and help them to also feel the joy of the season.”
House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila urged Christians to use the period of Christmas celebration to pray for the continuous unity and peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.
The Speaker also urged Christians to use the occasion of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ to pray for the country to overcome her challenges, including insecurity.
Gbajabiamila, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, Congratulated Nigerian Christians for marking this year’s Christmas despite the challenges.
He said the Christmas offer a time for sober reflections and called on the Christian faithful to imbibe the virtues of Christ.
He stated that at a time like this, Nigerians should come together and celebrate with one another as well as pray for their leaders to lead them well for the good of the country.
He said: “I wish to join millions of citizens to congratulate my Christian brothers and sisters for witnessing and marking this year’s Christmas peacefully.
“Christmas is a period of merrymaking, but beyond that, it is also a period for us all as a people to take time and pray for our country. I admonish my
Christian brothers and sisters to pray for our continuous survival in peace and unity as a country.”
The APC enjoined all Nigerians to rededicate themselves for the greatness of Nigeria.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Lanre Issa-Onilu, called on Nigerians to redouble their “efforts in the quest to ensure the peace, progress, stability and economic prosperity of our great country.”
It said that ”these noble objectives would only be realised if exemplary virtues such as peaceful disposition, sacrifice and tolerance, which Jesus Christ’s life embodied, are practised in our day to day life.”
The PDP on its part, urged Nigerians to live in unity even as it tasked the political leadership on selfless service to the nation.
It also appealed to the leaders and the led to use the period to rededicate themselves to exhibiting the virtues of love, forgiveness and selfless service to others and the nation at large.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, observed that many Nigerians were hurting and were not able to celebrate the Yuletide the way they used to do in the past.
The PDP rued the prevailing economic hardship in the country but encouraged the citizenry to keep hope alive by being one another’s keeper, particularly at a time like this.
It said: “Our party is deeply disturbed that most Nigerians are celebrating the season under serious economic stress; many did not travel to celebrate with their loved ones because of pervading economic deprivations.
“With insecurity and the sorry state of our highways; many have become despondent, they have lost confidence in those who manage the affairs of our nation at the centre and it appears that there is no hope in sight.
“The birth of Jesus Christ, in the manger, assures us that God has not given up on us; that no matter how long darkness, with its attendant oppression, economic repression, hunger, violence, abuse of rights and corruption in high places, may appear to endure, light will surely come to our nation as exemplified in the birth of the Saviour into the sinful world.”
In its message, CAN urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, cushion the effects of economic hardship in the country.
CAN President, Samson Ayokunle, also advised state and local governments to do the same.
He said the present challenges faced by the country will usher in joy.
Ayokunle pleaded with Christians not to engage in criminality to celebrate Christmas no matter the condition.
He said: “Another Christmas is here when we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, the best gift from God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
“Do not engage in any crime or criminality in order to celebrate the Christmas. But instead, look up to God and you will not be disappointed. I urge governments at all levels to look for ways of cushioning the effects of the economic hardships in the land.”
Packaged by Alice Egbedele with additional reports from thenationonlineng.net
