Christmas: Saraki, Wike, Others Salute Nigerians …Preach Love, Peace, Reconciliation, Kindness

President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, has felicitated with Christian faithful and all Nigerians as they celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu in Abuja lauded Nigerians for their resilience in the face of the challenges facing the nation.
He urged them to pray for improvement in the social, political and economic condition of the country in the New Year.
He urged Nigerians to make it part of their New Year resolutions to play their constitutional roles to ensure that the 2019 general elections were credible.
The Senate president said all hands must be on deck to ensure the election results lead to rapid socio-political and economic development of Nigeria.
“I wish all Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
“I want to call on Christians in particular and Nigerians in general to emulate the virtues of Christ, who through self-sacrifice brought salvation to humanity.
“This is a time for us to be our brother’s keeper, extend our generosity to one another and ensure that the less-privileged among us are not left out of the ensuing merriment”, he stated.
Saraki noted that the upcoming election was another opportunity to lay a new foundation for the growth and prosperity of the nation and to banish poverty from the land.
He prayed for journey mercies for as many Nigerians that would have to travel during the period.
He also urged the police and other security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure that the lives and property of Nigerians were fully secured at all times.
“The security agencies must of necessity redouble their efforts to ensure that the Christmas and New Year celebrations are observed peacefully across the country,” Saraki stated.
Meanwhile,Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has urged Nigerians to use this year’s Christmas to promote love, friendship, peace and reconciliation.
In a Christmas message, Wike said the season exemplifies love, advising that Nigerians should always love one another.
He particularly urged Rivers people to use this year’s Christmas to erect platforms of love, peace and reconciliation for the greater development of the state.
The governor advised Rivers people to pray for the state to enjoy greater peace for the state government to consolidate on her developmental programmes that have made the state first amongst equals.
He assured the people of the state that he will remain focused in his delivery of pro-people projects and programmes to improve their standard of living.
While wishing Rivers people a Merry Christmas, Wike assured them of their security all through the season as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Also, as Christian faithful celebrate Christmas in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, has urged Nigerians to imbibe and practice love of God to humanity, describing it as the spirit of the season.
In his message to the people, the speaker noted that it was because of the love of God for humanity that He allowed His son to come into the world for the ultimate goal of redemption, saying such selfless love is what Christians should reflect in their dealings with one another.
He further stated that God’s solution to humanity’s problems is love and embracing God’s Love will put an end to wanton killings, ethnic and religious clashes and other evils that retard the growth and development of the country.
He also urged everyone to be steadfast in prayer for Nigeria and use this occasion to practice the love of God by sharing whatever they have with the needy and underprivileged in the society. Dogara wished everyone a peaceful and joyful celebration.
As Nigerian Christians join other faithful across the world to celebrate Christmas today, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called on Christians to reflect on the lessons of the birth of Jesus Christ as they go about celebrating the yuletide.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Charles Aniagwu in Asaba yesterday, Okowa urged Christians to pray for peace, love and unity of the country and total reconciliation with God and man as they enter the new year.
The Governor noted that the best way to celebrate Christ was to show love and to give like Christ did.
He reminded Christians and indeed all Nigerians that Christ showed the greatest love by giving himself and dying on the cross, and therefore urged Christians to also give especially to the less priviledged in the society. “I congratulate all Christians for witnessing yet another Christmas season. I advise all of you to use the festive period for sober reflections and total spiritual renewals and devotion towards living in peace and harmony with adherents of other religions.
“The birth of Jesus Christ being celebrated at Christmas, should be used to reconcile ourselves with God, promote peace, show love, and unity, including the display of the spirit of tolerance in the accomplishment of our vision of building a better State and country. I wish to admonish all Christians to emulate Jesus Christ in words and deeds, imbibe the core lessons of freedom, love, tolerance, sacrifice, generosity and peaceful co-existence, which Christ stood for.”
He said Christians should use the occasion to exhibit Godly virtues and render humanitarian services to mankind for the betterment of the nation and the sustenance of peace.
The Governor reiterated his call for total reconciliation with God and man in line with the yuletide, pointing out that the coming year would usher in more good tidings for Deltans and Nigerians.
While congratulating Deltans and Nigerians on the Christmas and newyear celebration, Okowa urged them to deepen their love for Christ who gave his own life to redeem us from death.