Nigeria’s former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the unity, progress and peaceful co-existence in the country in the new year and beyond.

Atiku made the call in a statement which he signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

He asked Nigerians to work as a team for nation building and to consolidate the dividends of Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy.

He added that “every New Year such as this is a prime time for inner self reflection, stocktaking, resolutions and covenants, hence, I urge my compatriots to remember their country in prayers and actions throughout 2016 and beyond.

“For citizens are like spokes in the wheel of national progress, the whole can only function well if the units work positively in tandem.

“Nigerians should therefore work in concert to make Nigeria the great country of their dream.’’

The former vice president also urged Nigerians to become real change agents so as to enhance good governance, fair play and justice.

He noted that “as a firm believer and investor in education and as a propelling force for development, I want Nigerians to avail the country their enormous human resources.

“With our diverse potential, we all must pull our abundant human capital together to create, motivate and innovate in a new world order that can boast of a comparative cutting edge advantage.

“It is the civic responsibility of citizens to pay taxes while it is the duty of political leaders to use same for the improvement and development of society.

“Our country can no longer relish being a petrol-dollar mono economy in the face of a global oil glut.

“Thus, our unity in diversity and huge population will come in handy for the diversification of the ailing economy and to provide jobs for millions of unemployed youths in order to curb crimes.’’

He, therefore, urged everyone to be extra vigilant at all times and report suspicious elements to constituted authorities.

He assured that President Muhammadu Buhari meant well for the country to bring about the needed change that would in turn, generate massive employment for Nigerians and reduce poverty.

He added that “the least I can ask from Nigerians is to support the President on his avowed commitment to make the country work for all of us.

“As good citizens, we should not foreclose the chance of great times to come for our dear people and great country.

“We need to have hope, work hard enough, pray fervently, love and respect one another, engage the government constructively and contribute our quota to the task of turning Nigeria around.’’ (NAN)
YETI/YEMI/HA