Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Wednesday preached peace, unity and hope amid economic hardship in their Christmas greetings to Nigerians.
Both politicians who ran a joint ticket in the 2019 presidential election urged Nigeria to come together to tackle the challenges confronting the country.
Atiku in his message extended “my heartfelt greetings to the Christian community in Nigeria” noting “this season reminds us of the importance of love, unity, compassion, and selflessness.
“It is a time to reflect on these values and come together as a nation despite the challenges we face,” Atiku urged during his special Christmas greetings.
Despite inflation hitting almost 30 per cent year-on-year with many homes spending Christmas without food, Atiku encouraged Nigerians to embrace gratitude for the blessing of this season.
He said it is also a time to “confront the root causes of our struggles, including poor leadership, which has led to widespread suffering.”
He added that he believed in the “strength of our unity. With love and togetherness, we can overcome any obstacle.”
Obi in his message said he joined “the entire Christendom to celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. May we take a moment to remind ourselves of the true spirit of Christmas, which is a season of love, peace, and kindness – such values that are more important to us now than ever, especially as our nation battles many unprecedented challenges?
“Amid the many challenges plaguing our nation, the season of Christmas reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a new dawn,” Obi said .
He added that at such times as this, Nigerians must, therefore, in the spirit of love, prioritize the well-being of one another, help the poor, feed the hungry, and show love to everyone.
On this unique occasion, he called for the renewal of the spirit of unity, to “look beyond the walls of tribe and religion that have always separated us as a people, and lift our nation to God in prayers, even as we all continue to work together for a better nation.”