Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has enjoined Nigerians to remember the essence of Easter which is recognition of the love, sacrifice and suffering Jesus Christ bore for humanity.
In a message to Nigerians on the occasion of Easter celebration issued by its National Publicity Secretary Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party urged all citizens irrespective of religious affiliations to imbibe these selfless attributes displayed by Jesus Christ in their relationship with neighbours and in their national life.
“In our collective efforts to progress as a nation, we must all rise above our perceived differences which pit brothers and sisters against themselves. Love and tolerance will take us above internecine violence, killings, agitations, and other divisive tendencies,” it said.
It also urged Nigerians to use the occasion of Easter to pray for the safety and wellbeing of our Armed Forces and other security personnel deployed to flashpoints around the country to ensure safety of citizens and their livelihoods.
Also the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson ‘Supo Ayokunle, has enjoined
all Christians, as well as Muslims and non-religious citizens of Nigeria to pursue peace, tolerance and love for one another just as Jesus offered His life to reconcile humankind to God.
In his Easter message to Nigerians, the CAN President advised all persons to imbibe the virtue of love and tolerance with one another.
“This is one of the greatest needs today in our dear country and it requires genuine sacrifice to achieve it. This is because it is in the atmosphere of peace that we would have progress as a nation.
“In this season and beyond, I advise Nigerians to love one another as Christ loved us and gave His life for us! Lack of love today is the breeding ground for religious intolerance, killings and destructions, which in turn lead to insurgency and other forms of violence with their attendant humanitarian crises such as mass human displacements, hunger, outbreak of sicknesses and diseases, etc, in many parts of the country today,” he said.
Ayo charge President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest the spate of kidnapping, armed robbery abd insurgency troubling the country at the moment.
