President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday in Abuja appealed to Nigerians who he might have been hurt in the course of his duties to pardon him.
He made the appeal at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja at the ninth and final Sallah homage by residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led by the minister, Mohammed Bello.
Buhari, who received the delegation after observing the Eid-el-Fitr prayers at the Mambilla Barracks Prayer Ground, Abuja, together with members of his family, thanked Nigerians for tolerating him for close to eight years of his administration.
“I think this is a very good coincidence for me to say goodbye to you and thank you for tolerating me for more than seven and half years now.
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“I assure you that I have deliberately arranged to be as far away from you as possible, not because I don’t appreciate the love you have shown to me, but because I think I have gotten what I have asked and I would rather quietly retire to my hometown.
“Having been a governor, minister and president twice, I think God has given us an incredible opportunity to serve as your president. And I thank God for that. So, please, whoever feels I have done wrong, we are all humans. There is no doubt that I have hurt some people, so and I wish you would pardon me. And those who think I have hurt them so much, please pardon me,” he told his guests.”
President Buhari, who said he could not wait to go home after May 29, described himself as being lucky to have led Nigeria in various capacities.
The president, in a statement noted that he decided to retire to Daura, which is far away from Abuja, in order to get some respite after years of work.
“I can’t wait to go to Daura. If they make any noise to disturb me there I will leave for Niger Republic. I deliberately arranged to be as far away as possible. I got what I wanted and will quietly retire to my hometown,” he added.
President Buhari said he accepted all the complaints and criticisms in good faith, knowing it is part of the leadership he prayed and asked from God.
Buhari, who said flaunting ethnic and religious cards in the last elections was “rubbish,” recalled that all presiding Supreme Court justices in all the election cases he took to court were all from the North and Muslims from Zaria in Kaduna State, Niger and Jigawa, yet he lost.
On his plans after leaving office, the president said he felt fulfilled that God made it possible for him to serve two terms of four years each, adding that he looks forward to an orderly handover.
He said his decision to stay away from Abuja was to allow the incoming president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu have the time and space to take decisions.
“I thank God for what he has done for me personally and for what he has enabled us to achieve,” he said.
Accept verdicts of election tribunals, Sultan urges politicians
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has advised candidates who resorted to court after their defeat in the last general elections to accept the verdicts of courts in good faith.
In his Sallah message shortly after observing two units of the Eid-el-Fitr at Fakon Idi on Friday, the monarch described their resolve to seek redress in the court of law without resorting to violence as commendable.
He, however, urged them to be ready to accept the outcome of the court, even if it did not favour them.
“After accepting the outcome, support the winners for the sustenance of peace, unity and our development,” he said.
The monarch expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for sparing their lives to witness another Eid festival after the completion of the month of Ramadan.
CAN tasks on Muslims on peace, tolerance
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged Muslims and all Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr to pray for peace and prosperity in the country.
Its president, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, made the call yesterday in his Eid-el-Fitr felicitation message to Muslims.
“We extend our warmest greetings and felicitation to the president-general of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the entire Muslim Ummah in Nigeria. We rejoice with them and pray that the blessings of God will be with them now and always,” Okoh said.
NASFAT urges Tinubu to heal post-election wounds
The National Missioner of the Nasrullah Fathi Society (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, has said the prayers of many Nigerians were answered with the outcome of the 2023 elections, advising the president-elect, Bola Tinubu to be fast in healing the wounds of the country.
He said many people thought the country would scatter going by the rate at which people beat the drum of war prior to the elections.
Onike stated this in his sermon shortly after the two-rakat Eid prayers at the NASFAT Islamic Centre, Asese along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
He said those who feel aggrieved or shortchanged on the outcome of the elections should explore legal action and avoid setting the country ablaze.
He said the national interest and the peace of the country should be paramount in their mind.
Gov sues for peace, tolerance, love
The Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, in his message enjoined Muslims to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness, love and respect for one another to strengthen the existing peace in the state
Also, the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in a congratulatory message signed by his special adviser on media, Yinka Oyebode, urged Muslims not to forget the lessons of piety, devotion, humility, sacrifice and submission to the will of Allah, which were the hallmark of the 30-day spiritual journey.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, in his message, charged Muslim faithful and other residents of the state not to lose faith in the country but to intensify prayers and renew their hope, believing that the country would overcome its current challenges.
Furthermore, the Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, enjoined people of the state to support the administration of the governor-elect, Dr Nasiru Idris, saying that based on his pedigree and experience, he would do better than his government.
Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State described Ramadan as an important event in the Islamic calendar and its observance by the Muslim faithful as required of them by their faith as a demonstration of self-discipline, self-denial and sacrifice.
Also, the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai appealed to all the communities in the state to uphold peace and harmony despite the present security challenges.
More so, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, in his message, charged Nigerians, in the spirit of Ramadan, to remain focused on peace and rule of law in the country and refused to be distracted.
Emir of Zazzau harps on security
The Emir of Zazzau, Mallam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, urged the incoming administration of Tinubu to evolve new measures to tame insecurity situation in the country.
The emir, who made the plea in his message during a Sallah durbar at his palace, said there was the need for government to improve on security and protect the lives and property of citizens.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that Muslims, in their thousands, trooped out yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital to celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Fitr, which was held peacefully.
The two rakat prayers to end the Ramadan fast were observed in various praying grounds, led by chief imams.
In Borno, the Muslim faithful in Maiduguri and its environs observed peaceful Eid-el-Fitr and Durbar celebrations.
Shortly after Eid prayer, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai Umar El Kanemi, played host to the vice president-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and other dignitaries to a durbar at his palace.
The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, also urged the Muslim faithful to use the period of Eid-el-Fitri to reflect on the lessons of sacrifice, tolerance and love that the feast epitomises.
On his part, the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, urged all the Muslim faithful in the country to display the spiritual benefits of Ramadan, which include love, peace and justice in their daily living, and through this, contribute to nation-building.
The Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke and his predecessor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, admonished Muslims to imbibe the lessons of Ramadan.
Furthermore, the Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo, urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite difficulties in the country.
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, in his message, called on Muslims in the state to remain united and pray for a smooth and peaceful transition as the November governorship election draws closer.
Glo to Muslims: Remain steadfast to the lessons of Eid
Globacom has sent a message of goodwill to Muslims across the country on the successful conclusion of the holy and fasting month of Ramadan.
The company enjoined the Muslim faithful in Nigeria to remain steadfast to the lessons of the holy month of Ramadan, including godliness, charity, good neighbourliness, contentment and righteousness.
The company, in the message to mark the Eid-el-Fitri celebration, congratulated them on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, and urged them to “see the season as a time for worship, reconciliation and sober reflection.”
Muideen Olaniyi, Abbas Jimoh (Abuja), Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto), Hassan Ibrahim (Bauchi), Raphael Ogbonnaiye (Ado-Ekiti), Usman A. Bello (Benin), Ismail Adebayo (Birnin Kebbi), Magaji Isa Hunkuyi (Jalingo),Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba (Kaduna), Abubakar Sadiq Mohd (Zaria), Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin), Olatunji Omirin (Maiduguri), Bassey Willie (Yenagoa), Meluwa Kelvin (Asaba), Titus Eleweke (Awka), Hameed Oyegbade (Osogbo), Tijani Labaran (Lokoja) & Abdullateef Aliyu (Lagos)
