Easter: Lawan, APC ask Nigerians to rally against Coronavirus

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have congratulated Nigerians as they join other Christians across the world to celebrate Easter.

The Senate president urged all to unite and fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawan in a personal message on Friday said the occasion of Easter which marks the triumph of Jesus Christ over sin, adversity and death is relevant today more than ever before as mankind passes through one of the darkest clouds in history.

He asked all to draw the right lessons from the death of Jesus on the cross at Calvary and his resurrection, to become more confident in their fight against coronavirus and all other trials that today test their faith.

“My belief is that this is a passing phase for Nigeria and the entire world and that our faith is a potent spiritual weapon for the pursuit of victory.

“Therefore, let us be fervent in our prayer for Divine intervention to vanquish the pandemic, heal the sick and renew the world and Nigeria.

“We should not allow the frightening reports from other parts of the world on the pandemic to discourage us or weaken our hope. Rather, such reports should remind us of the Divine mercy under which we live in this clime, and strengthen our determination to rout this virus and others.

“I salute the resilience of Nigerians and urge us all to continue to cooperate with the Government as it leads us in the fight against Coronavirus and its deleterious effects on the economy and life in general.

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“The National Assembly will continue to provide legislative intervention to support and improve the efforts of Government in this trying period and beyond” said Lawan.

The senate president commended health personnel and other stakeholders at the frontline of the battle against the pandemic while he applauded the public-spirited individuals, corporate bodies, institutions and others who have risen in sacrifice and support for the nation in this battle.

As people mark Easter festivity, Lawan urged them to strictly observe the public health protocols of social distancing, regular washing of hands and the rules of hygiene in our homes as we mark the joyous occasion.

Also, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said Easter emphasises, acknowledges and appreciates the redemptive blessings of the ultimate love, sufferings and sacrifices of Jesus Christ for the common good of mankind.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Lanre Issa – Onilu, the party said Nigerians are in dire times and that they should collectively find inspiration in the time-honoured selfless disposition of Jesus Christ as they strive to eliminate the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The statement said: “A devastating public health crisis that has affected and disrupted every sector is upon us– every sector and individual must therefore be involved in the fight against the Coronavirus.

“So as we commemorate Easter with family and loved ones, we must understand that these are unusual times and our personal and collective responsibility are required more than before to stay safe.

“To achieve this, we must continue to adhere to directives on social distancing and other public health protocols aimed at containing the pandemic.

“As Nigeria complements global efforts to contain further spread of the Coronavirus, the APC reiterates the charge by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while addressing the March 2020 Extraordinary Summit on COVID-19, that we must fight the Coronavirus like our lives depend on it, because they do; unite, because we will only get out of the pandemic together and ignite a global movement to ensure this never happens again.

“Commendably, government continues to implement palliatives for the Nigerian citizenry, particularly those on the margins. We encourage able individuals and organisations to continue and expand their philanthropic outreach to the elderly, poor and other vulnerable people in our societies”.

The party appreciated and prayed for the medical, humanitarian, relief, security and other allied personnel in the frontlines of the fight against the Coronavirus.