Senate President Bukola Saraki in his Christmas message on Tuesday felicitated with Christians and all Nigerians as they celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities.
He also congratulated Nigerians for what he described as their resilience in the face of the challenges facing the nation and urged them to pray for improvement in the social, political and economic condition of the country, in the New Year.
Saraki disclosed this in a statement signed on Tuesday by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja.
He urged Nigerians to make it part of their New Year resolution that they will play their constitutional roles to ensure that the country has a peaceful, credible, free and transparent elections in February and March 2019 and that the results of the elections will 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 merriments,” he said.
He added that the upcoming election is 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 and urged the police and other security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure that the lives and property of Nigerians are 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 said.
