AMPON Urges Nigerians to Remain Steadfast
Nigerians have been urged not to lose hope in the country, but remain optimistic on the emergence of a better Nigeria, which is not in any way misplaced.
This advice was given by one of the leading groups of journalists and media practitioners, the Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria (AMPON), in a Christmas message made available to newsmen on Wednesday.
The group, in the statement signed on behalf of its Chairman, Mr Wole Arisekola, by the Acting Secretary, Olugbenga Bada, stated that Nigeria needs to imbibe the lessons of harmonious coexistence to engender development across the states of the nation.
It urged the federal government to reflect on the Christmas season and provide Nigerians with the kind of selfless leadership that Christ exemplified, saying, “What Nigerians need from the government at all levels is selfless leadership as exemplified by Jesus Christ, who loved his friends so much that he gave his life for them”.
The statement also read in part; “Our leaders should use the end of the year as a period of introspection. The same court orders that could not be obeyed for reasons known to the Major General Buhari administration were eventually obeyed after the United States waded in.
“Sadly, barely days before then, Major General Buhari’s handlers had given reasons for not obeying the order and had gone as far as reminding the United States Government that it has not been officially appointed ‘policeman of the world’.
“While it is shameful that the government refused to yield to the cries of Nigerians to obey the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, it is even more painful that it took only a letter from the United States to change the situation and secure the release of Col. Sambo Dasuki after four years in detention”.
The statement went further that “if we don’t give up and we collectively demand our rights, Nigeria will eventually, become a better place and not only will we have the ears of our leaders, we will eventually have a government we can truly be proud of”.
Lending its voice to the debate on the ‘Social Media Bill’, the association described it as a ploy to gag the media. “Let it be known that AMPON will join Nigerians to resist every move to gag the media and subtly remove the freedom of the press. Nigerians have the right to express themselves and no government will be allowed to take that away from them”.
As every Nigerians look forward to a prosperous 2020, the group; AMPON urged its fellow citizen to let’s all love one another and be brothers’ keepers, and pray that the Almighty would touch the hearts of some persons who take joy in inflicting pains on the hapless common man.
