Atiku, Tinubu, Ochei urge Christians to reflect on Christmas message

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on Nigerians to celebrate the essence of Christmas.
Abubakar said in a Christmas message by his Media Office in Abuja that notwithstanding the challenges of the times, Nigerians should celebrate the reason for the season.
“The commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ calls for joy and felicitations among the people of God, and the Nigerian people should take time off the hassles of their daily lives and whatever challenges they may be facing to make merry and renew themselves in the light of peace and joy that Christmas brings,” the former vice president said.
Abubakar recalled that Christians had joined Muslims for the recent Sallah feasts in huge numbers and expectedly many Muslim families will be joining their Christian compatriots in the Christmas meals.
According to him: “This is because as much as the times are tough, we are one people, a strong, united people, propelled by an unbreakable bond of nationhood.”
The Turaki Adamawa urged Nigerians irrespective of their religious beliefs to open their hearts with love in relation to one another, celebrate and pray for the unity of our country and the hope of a better tomorrow.
He added: “This time calls for our prayers and the celebration of our oneness as a people and our faith in one God who rules in the affairs of men, including that of our nation.
“To every Christian, Christmas means liberation and salvation by the Almighty. Let us all work together for the liberation of fellow citizens from debilitating poverty, joblessness and insecurity militating against our people.
“Have a peaceful and merry Christmas.”
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a Christmas message to Christians, urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their faith that Nigeria will someday be lifted from its present predicament to a better society.
Tinubu said: “Our hope for a better Nigeria, where the people are the core of governance and government functions as it should, must never diminish.
“We must continue to work, leaders and followers alike to realize the country of our dream.”
Tinubu admitted that Nigeria was going through a challenging phase, with millions of ordinary citizens bearing the brunt.
He, however, declared that out of these challenges, Nigeria will emerge stronger and better, as if out of the furnace.
“It is the responsibility of each one of us to find a space for action and develop the capacity to help bring about the desired change,” the former governor said, adding: “It is never too late. Just like a few of us have built a political platform with the potential to deliver change and enhance the potentials of our people, others must join in or build similar platforms. It is not enough to stand, arms akimbo, waiting always to criticize and theorize as it is the way of some.
“What is required is being part of an active group that can wrest power and use it for the common good. Right now, the only way I know to securing power legitimately is through participation in the political party system.
“Though, some question our sincerity and our motives, we will not relent on the path we have chosen and the power of our conviction that it is only Nigerians from different backgrounds that can form an alliance for change.”
While wishing Christians a wonderful season, Tinubu called on all Nigerians to extend goodwill to others in the spirit of Christmas.
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Engr) Victor Ochei, has urged Deltans and in deed mankind to celebrate the yuletide by reflecting on its very essence, which symbolically heralds the birth of our Lord Jesus to reconcile mankind to our creator.
The call was made in his seasonal goodwill message to Deltans.
According to him: “As we celebrate as Deltans I want us to reflect on the very essence of this season, and adequately appraise the relationship between Deltans, mankind and our creator.”
Ochei also observed that as a praying and prayerful state with the sobriquet “The Finger of God”, there is the compelling need to uphold the values and virtues that make us see one another as one indivisible people.
While wishing Deltans a merry Christmas and a fruitful new year, the legislator opined that observing the core essence of the season will make Delta State come out as a better state.