President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, expressed optimism that the nation will come out of the present economic recession stronger, united and prosperous.
He urged the nation’s leaders to amplify the expected long term effect of the recession on the nation and stop being pessimistic.
President Buhari said this in Abuja at the seventh national prayer breakfast organised by the Christian faithful among National Assembly members .
The president, who was represented by the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, declared “I believe Nigeria will come out of this situation stronger, united and prosperous, I believe that this will come to fruition in the life time of this administration”.
While advising Christians to resist the temptation of presenting the current economic hardship with despondency, stated that though the country was going through economic and social challenges, there was need for leaders to exercise restraint in their utterances.
“In churches and public space, we only speak about the hardships. We forget to look at the positives the hardship stands to bring, I can assure you,there will be light at end of the tunnel.”
Speaking, the guest speaker, Reverend Abu Bako, urged the National Assembly lawmakers to strive to be model citizens that would raise the standard of living of people.
He said as leaders, the lawmakers should refrain from undermining the moral fabric of the society saying “if you are stealing from the government coffers, then you are not a leader or a good politician.”
He prayed that God will cause the nation to start looking for leaders like Joseph, who served King Pharaoh diligently and was rewarded appropriately.
In a good will message, the executive secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Reverend Tor Ujah said Nigeria has the greatest revival movement hence on the track to greatness.
Delivering a goodwill message, a former member of the House of Representatives and now executive director at NIMASA, Hon. Sekonte Davies commended the lawmakers for keeping faith with the intendment of the initiators of the national prayer breakfast some years back.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Methodist Archbishop of Abuja, Rev. Ochochi admonish Christians to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ in all their undertakings and avoid acts that would cast the Christendom in bad light.