New Year messages: Mark, Tambuwal, Mimiko, Oshiomhole, others canvass unity among Nigerians

David Mark

Senate President David Mark took stock of the nation’s socio- political and economic problems in the last one year and urged citi­zens not to despair because there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

In his goodwill message to Nigerians to mark the New Year, Senator Mark noted that though “the situation, especially insecurity, is chal­lenging, we cannot pretend that all is well with us. But we are a nation of good faith in one God. When it seems impossible. God will make it possible.

“This trying time is only but a phase in our match to greatness. With cooperation, dedication, honesty and pa­triotism on the part of all of us , we shall surely triumph.”

Ike Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has called for prayers and patriotic con­ducts for the success of the 2015 general elections.

While describing the forth­coming elections as a poten­tial milestone for the nation’s democracy and develop­ment, Senator Ekweremadu noted that the longevity of the current democratic dispensa­tion, which surpassed all oth­ers before it, was made possi­ble by sacrifice, commitment and determination on the part of Nigerians.

Aminu Tambuwal makes case for IDPs

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Wa­ziri Tambuwal, has urged Nigerians to take special in­terest in the plight of inter­nally displaced persons who have been forced out of their homes as a result of the in­surgency in some parts of the country.

In a New Year message is­sued by his spokesman, Mal­lam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said IDPs in various camps within and outside the coun­try deserved our support at all times, adding that govern­ments at all levels must put in place comprehensive and co­ordinated strategy that would enhance the welfare and liv­ing conditions of the affected persons.

Governor Rauf Aregbe­sola

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has called on Ni­gerians to unite and use the New Year celebration to pray for peaceful coexistence and credible elections scheduled for February this year.

The governor, who stated this in a press release by the Director, Bureau of Com­munication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, noted that the New Year would engen­der more development, peace and prosperity for the citizen­ry. He also assured the people of the state of more develop­ment in the new year.

The governor, stressed that the magnitude of develop­ment that Osun people would enjoy in the second phase of his tenure would exceed in greater dimension what they had witnessed in the first four years of his administration. Governor Ayo Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has urged Ni­gerians not to despair as they welcome Year 2015, saying with faith and confidence in God, Nigerians will over­come all her challenges.

The governor, in his New Year message to the people in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, also called for the cooperation and support of all for the state and country at large to progress.

He said as the nation pre­pares for the general elections in February, all hands must be on the deck to ensure peace­ful and successful polls.

Governor Sullivan Chime

Enugu State GovernorSulli­van Chime, has urged Nigeri­ans to redouble their efforts at building a stable, secure and prosperous nation.

The governor, who stated this in his New Year message, said citizens should learn from the mistakes of the pre­vious years and commit them­selves to the task of ensuring that significant improvements were made in all facets of the socio-economic and political life of the country.

He, therefore, urged Nigeri­ans to eschew acts that could undermine the security and progress of the nation.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has ex­pressed optimism that the year 2015 will be peaceful and full of development in Nigeria and Ondo State in particular.

The governor, however, charged Nigerians to desist from negative comments about the nation in order for the country to move forward.

In his New Year message, Governor Mimiko enjoined Nigerians to remain commit­ted to the ideals of democracy as, according to him, such is the only way to enjoy devel­opment in the country.

Mimiko said Nigeria needs love to prosper, adding that Nigerians should forget their differences in 2015.

Governor Adams Oshiom­hole

On his part, Governor Ad­ams Oshiomhole of Edo State said New Year 2015 will be an important one for Nigeri­ans to vote for change and get the country back to the path of greatness, rather than the present system at the federal level where nothing works.

According to him, “next year presents Nigerians with a unique opportunity to vote out the party, which produced bad leaders who buffeted us with different excuses and fed us with empty rhetoric on why Nigeria is yet to achieve her greatness, after being in the saddle for 16 years.

“In 2015, Nigerians must rise in unison to elect cred­ible leaders who will rise above the lethargy of the PDP government to confront the challenges facing the nation.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State felicitated with Nigerians for witnessing an­other New Year, urging them to continue to work for the unity of the country and not to lose hope.

The governor stated this in his New Year message issued in Ibadan on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Me­dia, Dr. Festus Adedayo.

He also urged the people of the state to be vigilant and not allow those he called en­emies of the state to find their ways back to the corridors of power.

“As patriotic Nigerians, we should continue to work for the unity, peace and progress of our dear country.”

Governor Isa Yuguda

Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has urged Nigerians to be extra vigilant in view of the secu­rity challenges in the country and also pray for peace to reign.

In his goodwill message to the people of Bauchi State on the occasion of the New Year celebration, the gover­nor stated that as the people of the state join the rest of the world to celebrate the begin­ning of 2015, they should re­flect on the previous year and take stock of happenings dur­ing 2014 with a view to plan­ning for a better 2015.

Yuguda stated that the state government, in conjunction with security agencies was doing everything possible to bring an end to these secu­rity challenges and called on the people of the state “to be extra-vigilant and give neces­sary support and cooperation towards the realisation of this objective.”

Archbishop Martins

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins has called on Nigerians to draw nearer to their Creator in 2015, even as he enjoined them to commit themselves to the unity and peaceful co-existence of the country.

In his New Year message made available through the Director of Social Commu­nications, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, Archbishop Martins insisted that most of the challenges plaguing the nation could be overcome through prayer, selflessness and tolerance of one another.

Ooni of Ife

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Oku­nade Sijuwade, Olubuse 11, has urged Nigerian politi­cians to engage only in con­ducts that are capable of af­fecting the citizens positively. He warned against every form of violence and behav­iour that could disintegrate the country.

This advice was contained in his New Year message to all Nigerians, a statement signed by his Assistant Press Secretary, Supo Awodoyin. He counseled politicians and political parties to painstak­ingly research into serious issues of social-political and economic importance to all races and classes of the Nige­rian people.

The Ooni further urged poli­ticians and all Nigerians to eschew bitterness in their ac­tivities, advising them to have the fear of God and to place Nigeria first in all they do.

He prayed for divine guid­ance and wisdom for our leaders, tasking all Nigeri­ans to be fervent in prayers, especially as the country ap­proaches another political dispensation. He congratu­lated both the rulers and the ruled for making it to another year.

NLC tells workers

As Nigeria joins other parts of the world to celebrate the New Year, the Nigeria La­bour Congress (NLC) has urged workers to brace up for a tough year, this is even as it called on the workers to massively reject anti-worker politicians in 2015 elections.

In its New Year message entitled, ‘Tough times don’t last forever.’ and signed by its President, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, NLC commended the courage, resilience, sacrifice and patriotism of Nigerian workers in the face of daunt­ing challenges in the preced­ing year.

“On the Labour front, we note with burdened hearts, the spate of strikes across the sectors, especially in health and education largely because of the refusal or in­ability of government to hon­our agreements it voluntarily entered into with the unions,” the statement read.

The congress lamented that some workers at both the federal and state govern­ment levels were deprived of Christmas celebration due to non payment of their salaries.

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor

Contrary to permutations by local and international political observers that the 2015 general elections might be turbulent, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor said it might mark a turning point in the country.

In a New Year statement issued in Abuja yesterday, Oritsejafor said as a man of faith, he believes the current travails in the country would soon be a thing of the past.

“Many have alluded to the fact that the 2015 general elections would throw Nige­ria into chaos but as a man of faith I see the election as Ni­geria’s turning point.

“Leaders must be wise and courageous in their decisions in this coming year because as it has already been known, the challenges are becoming multifaceted from insecu­rity to crashing oil prices and many others.

“But I see a lot of positives and opportunities in the midst of these challenges and that is what I want Nigerians to ab­sorb in their hearts; the year 2015 may seem quite chal­lenging for Nigeria but it is one that equally holds a lot of hope and promise that could lead to the fulfillment that we have all yearned for.”