Atiku preaches love, fellowship, divine trust at Christmas

•Felicitates with Christians

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has harped on the need for Nigerians to continue to extend hands of love and fellowship to their neighbours as well as live as one big family, irrespective of social, political and religious leanings.
Atiku who said this in his Christmas message to Nigerians on Sunday, further enjoined the people to continue to trust God for a better tomorrow and a greater country.
In a message from his Media Office, the erstwhile Vice President between 1999 and 2007, urged Nigerians to embrace peace and unity at this period, and to love one another for the sake of progress and growth in the country.
The statement reads,”As the world celebrates Christmas Day today (Monday, December 25), which marks the birth of Jesus Christ, Nigerians have been urged to embrace peace and unity at this period, and to love one another for the sake of progress and growth in the country.
“I felicitate with all Nigerians, particularly the Christian faithful on the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ.
“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 said.
The former Vice President also urged 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 also look ahead to a better 2024, the Waziri Adamawa enjoined Nigerians not to relent in praying to God to restore peace and all-round development and progress in our country.
“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 said.