Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to hope for a better future. In his New Year’s message via his Twitter and Facebook accounts,  Jonathan said  2019 would offer the citizens a new opportunity to aspire to  realise their  dreams of a prosperous nation.

Also in their New Year’s messages, governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Solomon Lalong (Plateau) expressed hope that  2019  would be  a year of success and progress for their states and the  country.

Jonathan  wrote, “We do not just have a new year, we have a new opportunity. A new opportunity to be better leaders and better followers.

“To be better citizens who join hands with our fellow Nigerians, irrespective of region and religion, to bring Nigeria closer to the dreams of our founding fathers.

“The year 2019 brings with it its own challenges, but if one sentence should summarise our collective national attitude to those challenges, that sentence is this – Nigeria will survive and thrive by God’s grace and our collective fidelity to the Nigerian Dream.”

Ortom, who described  2018 as “a turbulent year”, congratulated the people of the state for weathering the storm last year.

According to a statement by his  Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, the governor  urged the people of the state to remain faithful and trust in God for guidance and success in the face of challenges.

He said 2019 is a decisive year for the country as Nigerians prepare to go to the polls to choose their leaders.

Fayemi said  his administration had  restored the state to   the path of peace and prosperity.

In his New Year’s Day  broadcast, he said,  “If we count the blessings and gains of the past two months of our administration in the saddle, you will all agree with me that we are already out of the dark tunnel into the glowing light of fast economic recovery and speedy value restoration.”

He added,  “We started on the right and solid footing. Ekiti state has returned  to life. Positive things are happening, salaries and pensions are being paid without delays abandoned utilities are getting priority attention, peace is restored while the security architecture is being reconfigured to meet our expectations.”

Lalong urged  the people of the state and the nation at large  to  commit 2019  to sobriety, penance, forgiveness and fervent prayers for divine intervention.

In  his New Year’s  message, former Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji  Kawu Baraje, told  Nigerians to pray fervently for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming general elections and a peaceful transition of power.

He expressed his confidence that 2019 would  usher in good things, credible and committed leaders. – Punch

– Jan. 2, 2019 @ 10:45 GMT |