Ebonyi State governor David Umahi and the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Chief Edward Nkwegu have called on the people of the state to continue to pray for the unity of the country where the love of the nation reigns above religious and tribal considerations.
Umahi and Nkwegu who made the call in the Christmas and New Year messages to the people of the state urged the people to also pray for peaceful and hitch-free general election next year.
The duo who prayed for the continued peace, love and mutual coexistence of the people of the state asked God to continue to bless and prosper the people as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
The governor’s statement reads: “It is with joy of heart that I felicitate with the good people of Ebonyi State on this Christmas season set apart by Christians all over the world to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Indeed, the inspirational times and life of our Lord Jesus on earth, the dominion of His sacred kingship and the glory of His majesty are manifestations of the gains of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ which we celebrate.”
“The purpose of Christmas celebration is to commemorate the fact that God loves us and is with us all the time. Christmas is a time of spiritual reflection on the important functions of the Christian faith and a time of reconciliation and salvation.
“It is a time we demonstrate the significance of the love our Saviour, Jesus Christ who was born to save the world from sin and sorrow.”
Nkwegu while praying for a happy celebration expressed concern over the incessant communal crisis in the state and assured that if elected, he would focus on finding solutions to the communal clashes.
He said to nip in the bud the communal clashes in the state, the National Boundary Commission (NBC) should be up and doing in the discharge of its duties while the state government focuses more on the remote and immediate causes of the clashes.
He raised the alarm over the high level of hunger and starvation in the state which he said has caused malnutrition amongst Ebonyi children adding that “when you go to different churches in the rural communities, many children now have stunted growth.”
