January 1, 2021

Frontline contender in the 2023 Presidential election under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim says there is hope for Nigeria in 2022 despite the challenges of the previous year.

In his New Year message, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation urged Nigerians to take even more seriously, “our duties as citizens and obligations to be our brother’s keepers.”

Below is the full text of the message:

New Year message to Nigerians: 2022 offers us new hope, fresh opportunities.

I felicitate with fellow Nigerians for making it to 2022. Let us all give God all the glory for His mercies and loving kindness.

2021 was a challenging year. A combination of  natural disasters and man-made crisis put Nigeria and Nigerians through very challenging life-tests that stretched our capacities for endurance to the limits.

Economic crisis manifested  in inflation, unemployment, under-employment, job losses, weak Naira and general low earning capacities that brought Nigerians face to face with threat to their very survival.

Insecurity which many citizens had wished would abate got a resurgence in 2021, compounding the already difficult life for most Nigerians.

Again, there was the COVID-19 pandemic which made a devastating come- back in other variants that shrank social and economic interactions further, and retarded the initial modest economic recoveries made after the first pandemic in 2019.

Indeed, we all still mourn many Nigerians that died and lament for those that got dislocated, some permanently, from these sad developments of 2021.

From the ashes of 2021, I see hope for Nigerians in the new Year 2022. God promises us Hope in times of despair, strength in times of weakness, recovery after tragedies. Our Maker also promised that He will never forsake us in times of trouble.

I therefore charge Nigerians to key into the promises of God in this New Year and stand strong as the overcomers we are as children of God. In 2022, let us demonstrate courage and determination to pull our country back from the precipice.  One way of achieving this triumph is by taking even more seriously, our duties as citizens and obligations to be our brother’s keepers. We must dedicate ourselves to building a more peaceful and cohesive society with justice and equity for all our people and neighbours.

I wish fellow Nigerians  a happier, safer, more peaceful and prosperous 2022.