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Tag: hopeful

  • Buhari’s cabinet: We are hopeful, say industrialists, investors

    Buhari’s cabinet: We are hopeful, say industrialists, investors

    Amidt growing concern over the delay in the formation of a cabinet by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, industrialists and business operators are optimistic that the delay will  augur well for the economy. According to them, it will ensure that only technocrats who are square pegs in square holes make the list, thus boosting investor’ confidence, reports Assistant Editor OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

    It’s probably one of the hottest issues of national discourse, but to many industrialists and business operators, the anxiety over the delay in the announcement of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is unnecessary.

    Many who spoke with The Nation said contrary to insinuations that the delay in making the cabinet list is slowing down governance and investment decisions, it is better for the administration to take its time to study the complexities of the economy before announcing its cabinet. According to them, this was necessary to ensure a clean break from the past when square pegs were put in round holes, a reference to the appointment of non-technocrats to man key positions.

    The consensus of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), is that in the long run, the delay could turn out a shot-in-the arm for industrialists and other business operators, as the delay would ensure that only those properly schooled in the dynamics of the Nigerian economy are appointed, particularly now that the nation is facing its worst crisis ever. This, in turn, would boost investor’ confidence, guarantee the protection of their investment, and ultimately return the economy on the path of recovery.

    For instance, as former President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NIESV), Mr. Bode Adediji put it, the nation is in transition and so it needs to take time to ensure a dynamic and credible team to tackle the monumental problems confronting her.

    Adediji, who defended the President’s seeming inaction based on his (Buhari’s) anti-corruption credentials, insisted that he must be given enough time to assemble a crack-team for the job.

    Hear him: “Buhari needs to be diligent. A single man cannot effectively fight the war against corruption, or correct the ills of several years of under development. But based on his track record, l am confident that he is working silently for the good of the nation. I also urge his political party to quickly resolve their differences in order to usher in a sustainable change. A situation that they can’t agree on power sharing formula and other things of common interest, is not healthy for the country.”

    A Public Affairs Analyst, Mr. Mahmud Othman,  agreed with Adediji. He said he wouldn’t join the ranks of those criticising the president for not constituting his cabinet yet.

    According to him, “people are finding it very difficult to believe the level of damage to the economy. The transition committee headed by Ahmed Joda made a lot of discoveries. If you appoint ministers without knowing the state of the economy and bringing the right people on board, the economy will run into deeper problems. People are becoming impatient, but l will counsel that we are better off doing the right thing before constituting the cabinet.

    Othman said Buhari didn’t hide his preference to choose the best for the task ahead and not necessarily based on political consideration, but those who can deliver to move the economy forward. He pointed out that the economy is in tatters as can be seen from the various states that can’t pay workers’ salaries, let alone embarking on new projects.

    “Oil money is no longer available. The debt profile is scary. Personally l don’t envy any political appointee especially ministers because the expectations are too high. As a stop gap to the appointment of ministers, the Permanent Secretaries in the ministries are working and no investor will leave because of late appointment of ministers,” he added.

    The Public Affairs Analyst is not done. While disagreeing with those arguing that governance is crawling because of the delay in constituting a cabinet, he insisted that various aspects of governance backed by law are operating as they don’t need ministers to work. He said anti corruption agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission (ICPC), have suddenly woken up and are arresting those alleged to be corrupt unlike before. This, he said, is because they have read the president’s body language and known that he is not interested in condoling corruption.

    Othman however criticised the lack of information from the Buhari’s government. While noting that it is a minus to the administration, he said, “Frayed nerves are not calmed because it is a different thing for 36 ministers to be talking from the perspective of their ministries rather than what is obtainable now where nobody is hearing anything that can sooth the nerves of the public and people just believe that governance has taken flight.” He however, encouraged Nigerians to be hopeful and be confident that the Buhari administration will deliver on his campaign promises and that the nation will be great again.

    However, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, over the weekend, sought to close the perceived communication gap when he said it will take time to clear the mess created by the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Adesina, in statement, said “It requires scrupulous and painstaking planning to clean the PDP’s Augean Stable.” He also noted that Nigerians were already on the side of the administration, which he said was on course.

    Adesina was reacting to the 30 days appraisal of Buhari administration by the opposition PDP. Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, had in a statement during the weekend, taken a swipe on the Buhari administration, noting that the enormity of the confusion surrounding the government and the ruling party in the last one month had made it imperative for Nigerians to pray as the success or failure of the Buhari administration would not only affect the President and his party, but also the entire nation.

    The statement by Metuh said: “We urge Nigerians to join hands in prayers and offer useful suggestions to President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC because with what we have seen in the last 30 days, the present administration is finding it very difficult to get its bearings right while showing no inclination towards implementing its numerous campaign promises for which they were voted into office at the centre. We are deeply worried that the President, who promised to unveil his cabinet two weeks after his inauguration, has not been able to decide on key appointments, such as ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief of Staff and advisers in key sectors of the economy.”

    Metu said the delay has brought government business in ministries, departments and agencies to a dangerous standstill with coordination of important policies vested on ministers and the SGF now in tatters while the system drifts. According to him, the situation is taking its toll on the economy, which has in the last 30 days witnessed unprecedented decline with a terrifying crippling of foreign and domestic investments, including activities in the money and capital market sectors. He said under Buhari, for instance, the stock market has lost over N238 billion while the All-Share Index fell by 849.87 basis points as at June 19.

    For Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf, there is no clear indication on the position of the government and investors need to know the direction the administration is going to avoid creating doubt in the minds of the public. By now, there should have been clear direction in key sectors of the economy such as energy, oil and gas, monetary and fiscal policies. The problems of uncertainty have persisted in the economy and the issue of conjecture has persisted in the economy with people guessing at what the government is planning as far as policy direction is concerned,” he told The Nation.

    While pointing out that people are not insisting on full implementation of the administration’s blue print on the economy, he said there is need for investors to have a bearing on what to expect in the new dispensation. But the thinking of other operators in various sectors is that the delay in constituting a cabinet was informed by the realities on ground particularly the need to get things right.

    For instance, apart from the need to clear the rot inherited from the previous administration, the crisis in the National Assembly over the choice of principal officers as well as the need to prune down the number of ministries and parastatals, The Nation learnt, are also responsible for the delay. But the consensus is that by the time the cabinet is eventually constituted, Nigerians and the economy would be better for it.

  • ECOWAS CET: Why manufacturers are hopeful

    ECOWAS CET: Why manufacturers are hopeful

    Few weeks into the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Common External Tariff (CET), Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, is tipped by manufacturers and members of the organised private sector as potentially the biggest beneficiary of the adoption of a common regional tax regime. The new policy, which took effect from April 11, may have opened a window of opportunities for this country’s industrial growth. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA  reports.

    It took assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to convince manufacturers and business operators that the adoption of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Common External Tariff (CET), which took effect on April 11, this year, would deliver bountiful benefits to them and the economy.

    ECOWAS CET allows goods from any other part of West Africa into Nigeria without the imposition of any tax, import duty or levy. It means that goods imported into a Francophone country will not necessarily be cheaper or more expensive than those entering another Anglophone country, such as Nigeria or Ghana. CET, according to experts, is a mild form of economic union, but may lead to further types of economic integration.

    In addition to having the same customs duties, the countries may have other common trade policies, such as having the same quotas, preferences or other non-tariff trade regulations, apply to all goods entering the area, regardless of which country within the area they are entering.

    Apart from resulting to significant improvement in the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberation Scheme (ETLS), giving rise to the concept of a regional customs union, the scheme is seen as an effective instrument for harmonising the import policies of member-states which will, in turn, strengthen the framework for the realisation of a common market.

    The approval for the implementation of the new tariff was conveyed in a statement signed by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala. The NCS said all imports arriving in the country beginning from April 11, shall be subjected to the rates contained in the CET 2015-2019 and 2015 Fiscal Measures without recourse to the rates applicable before the coming into effect of the ECOWAS CET 2015-2019.

    A statement by NCS spokesman, Deputy Controller of Customs, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, said that the approved Supplementary Protection Measures/Fiscal Policy Measures comprised an Import Adjustment Tax list, which involves additional taxes on 177 tariff lines of the ECOWAS CET.

    The ECOWAS CET also covers a list of goods whose import duty rates have been reviewed to encourage more development in strategic sectors of the economy and an Import Prohibition List (Trade), applicable only to certain goods originating from non-ECOWAS countries.

    However, before it came into force, government needed to get the buy-in of stakeholders before its implementation, which was why the President assured that Nigeria had successfully negotiated a strong CET agreement with ECOWAS partners on the need to protect the country’s strategic industries from foreign domination.

    The Minister assured manufacturers that efforts were on to establish a development finance institution to make credit accessibility easy and reduce high cost of funds. She emphasised that efforts would be made to ensure that indigenous manufacturers gained from CET scheme, which took off on April 11.

    The assurances were neccessary to allay the fears and suspicions of manufacturers and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) most of who fear that CETwould throw the nation’s borders open to influx of goods from within the West African region when implemented.“You can’t have an industrial growth in this kind of environment with a CET that exposes local industries and products to unequal competition,” an economist, Mr. Henry Boyo, argued.

    Members of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) were no less apprehensive. NACCIMA noted, for instance, that although it appreciates the need for ECOWAS CET, but is also concerned that it might turn Nigerian into a dumping ground, a situation that would pose a huge challenge for the nation’s growing industries that are battling with the devaluation of the naira, among other challenges.

    “The need to ensure compliance with all protocol signed by ECOWAS to eliminate dumping of goods in the region becomes of great importance if our growing industries are to survive with the implementation of CET and for the realisation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP),” First Deputy National President, NACCIMA, Chief Bassey Edem, said.

     Common tariff, many benefits

    Few weeks into the implementation of the new policy, the picture appears to be getting clearer despite initial apprehensions. Already, the fears and suspicions earlier expressed by operators are gradually giving way to optimism and hope that Nigeria potentially could be the biggest beneficiary of the CET regime. Such optimism is anchored on the strategic economic advantage Nigeria enjoys as Africa’s most populous and largest economy.

    According to experts and operators, one of the areas such advantage would find expression is in curbing smuggling, which has been a pain in the neck of Nigerian manufacturers. Former director-general, NACCIMA, Dr John Isemede, said the effect of CET within ECOWAS region could discourage smuggling and promote regional trade. He said: “The only key thing is that it should ordinarily reduce smuggling within the region because what has promoted smuggling is disparity in tariff.

    “If a product in Nigeria is attracting 70 per cent and the same product in Cotonou or Togo is attracting 10 per cent, it is likely that smugglers and other unpatriotic traders will follow the rules of the lowest tariff but if the same tariff obtains between Lagos and Mauritania then there is no advantage of smuggling by unscrupulous traders.”

    President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, thinks so too. “Definitely, it will stop smuggling, create competition among nations and attract more vessels to Nigeria because there will be no more diversion of cargoes,” he said, asking, “If what you are going to pay in Ghana or Ivory Coast is the same thing you are going to pay in Nigeria, why take your goods there?”

    Apart from a possible reduction in smuggling, operators are also hopeful that Nigeria would take advantage of the window of opportunity CET would open up by way of enlarging the nation’s industrial sector through higher economics of scale.

    “There will be a kind of scale advantage, which is good,” says Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Business Development (IBD), Mr. Paul Ikele.

    He told The Nation thatthe essence of having a common tariff is to build international business relations integration so that certain rules, which can assist each nation to stabilise its economy are harmonised.

    Ikele further pointed out that CET would make room for faster business development, faster economic development, faster trade and integrated business exchanges like currencies and agro-allied businesses.

    “It will also ensure stability within the economic states because in each area you look at where you have comparative advantage. For instance, in Nigeria we have oil, we have cocoa, we have agro-allied products; we even have mineral resources. We look at the ones we have in quantum, which we have an edge over all other states so that all other countries will do the same,” he added.

    The IBD Registrar also said the implementation of CET would strengthen national institutions through peer learning among members. “Non-productive economies might want to key into it and take advantage to move into productive ventures, he pointed out, adding that with the world moving into globalisation, CET makes it possible for Nigeria to adapt to those areas it could generate revenue to assist her boost bottom-line.

    He also dispelled fears that CET could make Nigeria a dumping ground. “It (CET) has to be controlled; there must be determinants. So, it will not open any floodgate for influx of cheap goods if there are controls,” he explained, adding, “Before a tariff is published it has to be harmonised per country; you have to determine the areas you have an advantage that will generate economic strength for you. Each country has to look at areas where it has comparative advantage before keying into the tariff.”

    Isemede also said CET will make for better planning. According to him, operators will be able to plan better now because they know that the tariff will not change overnight, which has been a challenge for Nigeria in particular. “If there is any need to change tariff, ECOWAS as a body must meet, member countries must agree to that tariff change. So, that will make for better planning and companies will be able to plan long term, fully aware that their tariff will not change overnight and affect their investment output,” he said.

    Operators are also excited over the prospects of CET curbing perceived excesses of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) since there will be a common tariff in the ECOWAS sub-region that the NCS cannot influence. The thinking is that with CET there is no way the tariff of the NCS would be different from other customs services in the ECOWAS sub-region.

    “There is no way Nigeria Customs will give their own tariff anymore because there will be a common market. It will help shippers to make their plan, projections and sales margin unlike now that we can’t make projection and sales margin because you don’t know what to meet at the port,” President, Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS), Rev. Jonathan Nicol, reportedly said.

     The flip side

    However, experts say that there are gray areas that must be smoothened if Nigeria must benefit from CET. Isemede identified the need for harmonisation of the different tariffs. For instance, while countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Gambia are Anglophone nations, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, are Francophone. Similarly, while Value Added Tax (VAT) is five per cent in Nigeria, 20 per cent in the francophone countries and 15 per cent in Ghana, he noted that only when these VAT harmonized can the sub-region talk about one external tariff.

    Notingthat Nigeria might not get to the Promised Land on the platform of CET unless VATs are harmonised, he called on ECOWAS to harmonise the different VATs in the countries for the smooth implementation of the policy. He alsosaid that cost of doing business in Nigeria is high when compared to other countries, which is why goods shipped into the country are cheaper than the ones made in the country, adding that there is need to address issues responsible for the high cost of doing business in Nigeria.

    The Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf, agrees with him. He said CET would have serious implications for the economy, particularly the manufacturing sector unless issues of high energy cost, high costs of funds, high regulatory charges, and high ports charges, among others, are not addressed.

     

  • Bobby Brown still hopeful about daughter

    Bobby Brown still hopeful about daughter

    Nearly three months since late Whitney Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was placed in a coma, her father, Bobby Brown is keeping faith alive, announcing during a concert at the weekend, that his daughter is ‘awake’.

    “I can say today: Bobbi is awake. She’s watching me,” Brown told the crowd at Grand Prairie, Texas.

    However, there is no statement yet from the Atlanta rehab center, where Kristina was moved to last month, concerning her present state of health, and Bobby too, didn’t elaborate.

    The Dallas crowd took it that Bobby meant that his daughter is in state of recovery.

    The event was one of the few public appearances Bobby has made since his daughter’s ailment. Early this month, he was highly emotional at a public show, saying, “”I must tell y’all … this feels really, really, really good. I want to thank y’all for coming out tonight and supporting me and my family.” He told a crowd at the Soul Food Festival in downtown Los Angeles.

    Kristina was found unconscious in a bathtub in her Georgia home late January; her mother was found under similar circumstances. She was reportedly found by Nick Gordon, the man her family took in when he was 12 and whom Kristina calls her ‘husband’.

    Bobby had been glued to his daughter’s bedside since she was hospitalized at Emory University, from where she was moved to a rehabilitation center, where she remains in an unconscious state.

    Gordon is reportedly being investigated by police for his suspected involvement in the case, and Bobbi Kristina is believed to have been abusing drugs, including cocaine, in the months leading up to her being found unconscious.

  • Ex-Head of State hopeful on elections

    Ex-Head of State hopeful on elections

    Former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar also yesterday expressed optimism that elections will hold as scheduled on March 28 and April 11.

    He also ruled out the possibility of an Interim National Government (ING)

    Gen Abubakar, who midwifed the return to democracy in 1999, spoke yesterday after a meeting of the National Peace Committee, which he heads.

    The committee, made up of security chiefs, religious and political leaders, met to discuss the state of the nation after the postponement of the general elections.

    At the meeting were security chiefs, religious leders like John  Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy National Legal Adviser Bashir Maidugu, Mr. Yunusa Tanko and  Senator Ben Obi.

    The former Head of State said: “We are aware that the election dates have been shifted. There have been rumours going round in the country that there are plans to form an interim government.

    “We have heard from the president that elections will hold in March. He has also said that there are no plans to have an interim government. We are appealing to Nigerians to focus their minds on exercising their right on election day.”

    “We are going to have a meeting with chairman of INEC Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ascertain what has been done regarding their preparedness.  We will ask INEC where they are, currently,” he said.

  • ThankGod hopeful of Douala’s scalp

    ThankGod hopeful of Douala’s scalp

    Warri Wolves centre half Ike ThankGod is very confident the Glo Premier League side will do the nation proud when they meet Union Douala of Cameroon in the CAF Confederation Cup first round match scheduled for this weekend.

    The former Heartland FC defender told supersport.com that the Warri-based side is ready for the tough battle in Cameroon.

    “Wolves are ready, we know what is at stake and we won’t let the country down. Playing on the continent is a different ball game entirely, we know what it takes. We’ll come good and make Nigerians smile. We know what happened to Pillars. It was rather unfortunate, but hopefully, ours will be better,” he said.

    Warri Wolves have beefed up their squad in the off-season with Bartholomew Ibenegbu, who joined from Heartland, Brendan Ogbu, who had stints in South Africa and Tanzania and former ABS midfielder Lordson Ichull.

    Former gaffer Paul Aigbogun has also rejoined the fold and Ike feels all of these will come into play when they clash with Douala.

    “The Warri Wolves team has been beefed up with quality players and those who are also experienced on the continent. That blend of youth and experience will serve us well when we venture into Africa. I’m sure we will hoist the nation’s flag positively,” he said.

    Warri Wolves will meet Union Douala on March 1 in a CAF Confederation Cup first round, first leg tie at the Stade de la Reunification in Douala, Cameroun.

  • NSIA chief hopeful on SWF’s success

    NSIA chief hopeful on SWF’s success

    The Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Uche Orji yesterday described as baseless, fear that the Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) will not succeed.

    Orji who spoke during the 2014 University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Founders Day cerebration at the University Campus in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said the initiative will succeed, adding that the Fund has already identified 18 key areas of investment.

    He said five main areas of power, health, real estate, agriculture and motorway (monolines) are already being addressed.

    Orji said: “The Stabilisation Fund assets are to be invested conservatively, striking a balance between generating a modest positive return and preserving capital. Additionally, given the unpredictable and short-term nature of the Fund’s potential liabilities, immediate liquidity is required.

    “The Future Generations Fund is a classic savings fund invested in a diversified pool of assets. The purpose of this Fund is to preserve and grow the value of assets transferred into it, thereby enabling future generations of Nigerians to benefit from the country’s finite oil reserves.”

  • Be hopeful, PDP urges Ondo people

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has felicitated with residents on the New Year.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Wale Ozogoro, the party said: “We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that this New Year shall usher in good governance and development in our dear state.

    “We have rated the Governor Olusegun Mimiko administration and found it wanting in all facets of human development. Most worrisome is the fact that the clueless government is focused on looting the public treasury.

    “The government has pauperised the people and is engaged in unthinkable profligacy cum indebtedness. It is preoccupied with cosmetic and self-serving projects, such as the Dome, Mare and others, which add no value to the life of the people.

    “All road projects initiated by this administration since almost four years ago are either on-going or abandoned. The government has continued to pay lip-service to developmental issues and unfulfilled promises abound in the midst of plenty.

    “The profligacy of this government came to fore when the head of the government snubbed every entreaty not to plunge this buoyant state into generational indebtedness.”

  • Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal to Nigerians: be hopeful

    Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal to Nigerians: be hopeful

    The government has the capacity to effect positive change in the country, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday.

    He urged Nigerians to continue to seek peace, promising his unwavering commitment to achieving the objectives of his administration’s agenda for the country.

    Dr. Jonathan said security challenges notwithstanding, the government remains focused on the primary objectives of achieving significant improvement in of the economy.

    The President spoke in a Christmas message to the nation.

    Senate President David Mark and House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal enjoined Nigerians to renew their faith in their country and work towards building a nation of their dreams.

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said leaders should take stock of their activities and thereafter dedicate themselves to governing the country better.

    The president also expressed his appreciation to Nigerians for keeping faith with his administration.

    He said: “As we celebrate Christmas, the ultimate significance of which is the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Saviour for mankind, I urge you all to continue to trust in our unwavering commitment to fully achieving the objectives of our agenda for national transformation for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    “No one should doubt that we have the political will and determination to deliver on our promise of positive changes in the living conditions of our people in the shortest possible time.

    “ While we continue to deal with the regrettable distractions posed by threats to peace and security in parts of the country, the Federal Government remains very focused on the primary objective of achieving significant improvements in priority areas such as public infrastructure, power supply, transportation, roads, health, education, job creation, agriculture and industrialisation as quickly as possible.

    “ It is my hope and expectation that more of the efforts, actions and measures we are already undertaking in these areas will successfully come to fruition next year and make the results of the diligent project planning and execution being done under this administration more apparent to all Nigerians.

    “We will continue to count on your support and cooperation, as well as your prayers for peace, stability and progress of our beloved nation

    “My Administration continues to do its best to give our beloved country effective leadership towards rapidly overcoming present challenges.”

    The president also felicitated with Nigerians, who joined the rest of the world in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

    He also urged Christians to learn from the lessons of Jesus Christ’s mission on earth.

    The president said he expected that the lesson would have great significance on the people; adding that “there can be no doubt that we all, irrespective of our religious beliefs, can draw immense strength and inspiration from the Messiah’s enduring personification of selflessness, dedication to duty, and commitment to the well-being of others.

    “The virtues and ideals of peace, tolerance, faithfulness, honesty, justice, fairness, true wisdom, knowledge and understanding which He taught and exemplified also remain very relevant to us in Nigeria as we continue to grapple with the challenges of development and nation-building.”

    Senate President David Mark yesterday congratulated Christians across the country for witnessing another Christmas.

    Mark, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace, love and harmony.

    He enjoined Christians to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ, which emphasise peace, generosity, kindness and love.

    Senator Mark said: “Christmas is a season to give and expect little in return.

    “It’s a time to preach peace and exemplify it in line with the coming of Christ.

    “For us as a people, this is the time to forgive, be more united and forge ahead in our onerous task of building a strong and vibrant nation, which will be a pride of all Africans.”

    He urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony and emulate the virtues “and exemplary life bequeathed to us by Jesus Christ.”

    He said: “Our democracy is waxing stronger as we stride in years.”

    Mark assured that the National Assembly would work in the best interest of every Nigerian in making laws for the good governance of the nation.

    In a message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said with renewed faith, commitment and hardwork, the country will soon realise its full potentials.

    He said Christmas is a time for deep reflection to the teachings of Christianity and what Jesus Christ stands for, and urged Nigerians, especially Christians, to pray for the peaceful coexistence and unity of the nation.

    Tambuwal urged leaders at all levels of governance to make the interest of the people their priority at all times, adding that despite the challenges of development confronting the country, progress is being made in some critical sectors.

    He said the House of Representatives would continue to play its role in efforts to provide quality representation to the people of Nigeria.

    “I therefore congratulate Nigerian Christians, who joined their colleagues the world over in celebrating this important occasion. May the blessing of the season shower on our homes and our nation,” the Speaker said.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called for love and peaceful co-existence while urging Christians to pray for the progress of the nation.

    In a goodwill message by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party also enjoined its members in various positions of authority to emulate the humble life of Christ.

    The statement reads: “ It is our fervent prayer that Christians, indeed, all Nigerians learn from the abundant and perfect examples of Christ in love, kindness and peaceful co-existence.

    “It is our wish that beyond the jingle bells and festivities, moments of sober reflection be spared to illuminate and re-kindle national fervour against corruption, religious intolerance, ethnic suspicion and other ills that have kept the nation down for decades.

    “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is irrevocably committed to this cause as we make steady progress in actualising our vision for a country where things work better than they do at present.

    “The lesson, Christ, though the Messiah, was born humble and humbly served and saved mankind should guide and further fire our zeal to place the people first.

    “We shall commit more efforts in ensuring that all our members, elected and appointed into positions of authority, shall like Christ, be servants and not masters”.