New Year: Religious, political leaders sue for peace, unity

•Nigeria shall triumph – Mark
•Brace for tougher 2015, NLC tells workers
•Care for IDPs, Tambuwal charges Nigerians
•Archbishop Martins, Ekweremadu, Buhari, Okorie, others speak
By Sam Eyoboka, Clifford Ndujihe, Victor Ahiuma-Young, Emman Ovuakporie, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Joseph Erunke & Olayinka Latona
LAGOS—ON the lips of eminent religious and political leaders across the nation, yesterday, were words of hope and optimism that 2015 will bring good tidings to Nigerians. The exception is the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which told workers to brace up for a tougher year because, in its estimation, 2014 was tough.
Among those who spoke, yesterday, were National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins; Senate President, David Mark; House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd); United Progressive Party (UPP) Presidential Candidate Chief Chekwas Okorie and Delta State Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Agbe Utuama.
We must overcome–Oritsejafor
The CAN president, in a statement urged all Nigerians, especially Christians, to brace up for the challenges ahead both as individuals and as a nation.
“As we reflect on the events of the past year and look forward to the times ahead, I want us to concentrate on the issue of overcoming. In this light, it is important to emphasize the postulate that all challenges are timely, and they are not accidental,” Oritsejafor said, adding that God tests us in such ways to enable us realize His greatness.
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger” – these words of the famous philosopher demonstrate that we are the instruments in the hands of God.
“I have dwelt on these words of encouragement because I want all Nigerians to approach this New Year with a renewed sense of vigour and the understanding that we all must work for the kind of society that we desire to have. If we want peace and prosperity then we must work for it and not lament over the challenges,” Oritsejafor stated.
He continued: “Nigerians must learn to support their leaders in prayers and physical support in this New Year and above all things we must all exhibit love and sacrifice for ourselves and our nation in our collective quest for a better Nigeria beginning from 2015.”
Let’s draw nearer to God– Archbishop Martins
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Adewale Martins also called on Nigerians to draw nearer to their creator in 2015 and to commit themselves to the unity and peaceful co-existence of the country.
He insisted that most of the challenges plaguing the nation can be overcome through prayer, selflessness and tolerance of one another, noting that no nation can excel without the help of God.
“Any nation that drives God to the background is only toying with doom. For us to move forward as a nation, we must bring God to the front burner this New Year, so that His spirit of love, peace and joy can permeate in our hearts and in the core of our nationhood.”
On the forthcoming general election, the prelate urged Nigerians to be alive to their civic responsibilities by casting their votes in favour of only credible candidates with impeccable integrity, stressing that they must be ready to monitor and defend their votes at all cost in order to ensure that only credible candidates are elected into positions of authority.
We must exercise caution–Ademowo
His Anglican counterpart, Most Rev. Ephraim Ademowo said there is need for caution on the part of our leaders and the citizens, noting that there is need for everyone to seek and fear God.
According to him, “a nation where people are becoming less sensitive to God in pursuit of power and popularity at all cost is a signal to danger”, maintaining that 2015 will determine the political and economic future of the nation.
“I call on the political elite to play politics devoid of rancour, bitterness, thuggery, destruction of lives and property and shedding of innocent blood,” Ademowo said, adding that every Nigerian must be practically committed to a smooth transition of power to another democratically elected government at all levels.
Nigeria shall triumph–Mark
Also speaking, Senate President Mark urged Nigerians not to lose hope as a result of the socio-economic and political challenges facing the country, saying there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
He said: “There is no doubt that 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.”
He said that all that was required was for both the government and the governed to see the nation’s challenges as a collective problem facing every citizen because there is no problem too difficult for the nation to surmount if everybody come together in one accord to confront the menace.
He assured that the National Assembly will give accelerated passage to the 2015 Appropriation Bill without compromising due process and critical assessment of the proposal.
He reasoned that quick passage of the budget would facilitate its implementation and ensure that the dividends of democracy are promptly delivered to the Nigerian people.
Care for IDPs, Tambuwal charges Nigerians
Also, Speaker Tambuwal 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, Malam Imam Imam, the speaker said Internally Displaced Persons,IDPs in various camps within and outside the country deserve our support at all times, adding that governments at all levels must put in place comprehensive and coordinated strategy that will enhance the welfare and living conditions of the affected persons.
According to him, the House of Representatives, in conjunction with other arms of government, will support any effort aimed at finding durable solutions to the challenges of the IDPs.
“The National Assembly, House of Representatives in particular, will work with other arms of government, national and local NGOs, donor agencies and our development partners to put in place durable solutions to the challenges faced by IDPs in Nigeria and those staying in our neighbouring countries. We hope to develop national framework, structure and policies on internally displaced persons and ensure that these policies are implemented at all times, “ he said.
There is hope in season of despair–Buhari
In his new year message issued by Dele Alake, director, Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Buhari said the announcement made by the Presidency and its agencies in the last one month “has put many Nigerians in sadness. Electricity shall cost more. The devaluation of the naira means the price of goods and services shall rise. Essential goods are being removed from the reach of the poor. Indeed, the Presidency has declared a regime of austerity that will be executed in 2015. To quote the press reports, the President himself has declared that Year 2015 shall be “tough” on our people.
“Against this season of despair foisted on our people, I bring to you, a New Year Message of hope and optimism. I share the anxiety of the middle class and the poor who have borne the brunt of the policies of this government for so long with increasing burden. I share the fear of the unemployed whose hopes for new jobs in the new year is being dashed because companies will cut jobs to escape inflationary spirals. I share the concerns of the manufacturers whose import-dominated production will be challenged by the austerity measures.
Brace up for a tougher 2015, NLC tells workers
The NLC in its New Year Message, called on Nigerian workers to brace up for a tougher 2015, lamenting that 2014 was very tough for workers.
In a statement by its President Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, titled “Tough times don’t last forever”, it recalled 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.
He said: “Collated reports from our state councils indicate that a number of state governments and some federal MDAs have not paid their workers for December as the year comes to an end. Of the 30 states reporting as of 30th of December, 11 subjected their workers to a Christmas/New Year celebration without the December salary. Three of these owed their workers arrears of salaries ranging from 3 to 8 months! Some federal government employees in the Ministries of Education, Labour and Productivity, among others, are owed arrears of salaries ranging from 1-3 months.
“We condemn this insensitivity to the welfare of workers. Any state governor, who cannot pay workers their salaries, as and when due, has no moral justification to take his own salary and allowances. We call on workers to massively reject these anti-worker politicians in the 2015 elections. Meanwhile, we direct our state councils in the three states mentioned above to serve appropriate ultimatums on their government to pay the arrears of salaries or face disruption of services.”
2015 is year of decision –Chekwas Okorie
In his new year message, Chief Chekwas Okorie, said giving the challenges the country faced last year, 2015 is year of decision, especially for the electorate, who will elect those who will lead the country in the next four years.
He urged Nigerians in the message from his presidential campaign organisation entitled: “A time to decide,” to exercise their franchise and ensure that they vote for candidates of their choice in all elections, and ensure that their votes are counted and count in the overall result.
Prayers, patriotic conducts, keys to success of 2015 polls—Ekweremadu
On his part, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, challenged Nigerians to consider prayers and patriotic conducts as great tasks they must embrace to ensure the success of the 2015 polls.
He said the longevity of the current democratic dispensation, which according to him, surpassed all others before it, was made possible by sacrifice, commitment, and determination on the part of Nigerians.
“The current democratic dispensation is unique in many respects. For the first time, we have been able to transit from one civilian administration to another. We have also enjoyed an unprecedented 15 years of democratic rule. Therefore, year 2015 presents us with yet another opportunity to build on our democratic gains.”