By Muideen Olaniyi, Saawua Terzungwe, Abdullateef Salau, Itodo Daniel Sule, Baba Martins (Abuja) & Abubakar Akote (Minna)
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on citizens to work harder towards tolerance.
The president made the call yesterday in his goodwill message to Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-el Fitri celebration to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
He said the peaceful outcome of the 2023 general elections would go down on record as one of the proudest achievements of his administration due “to our neutrality in the conduct of the elections.”
Buhari, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the outcomes of his elections were in line with his pledge to leave a legacy of free and fair elections.
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The president congratulated Muslims on successfully completing the demanding spiritual obligation of Ramadan and prayed to Allah to reward the Muslims for their sacrifices.
Lawan, Gbajabiamila seek prayer for peaceful power transition
In his own Sallah message, Senate President Ahmad Lawan urged Nigerians to continue praying for the country’s leaders and for security, prosperity and peaceful transition of power.
He felicitated Nigerian Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-el-Fitr, which signifies the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
“But the end of the holy month of Ramadan is not the end of prayers and supplications. Therefore, we should continue to pray for wisdom for our leaders and for security, prosperity and peaceful transition for Nigeria,” he said.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, in a statement by his media aide, Lanre Lasisi, also congratulated the Muslims faithful for the successful completion of the 1444/2023 Ramadan.
The speaker while reflecting on the significance of the just concluded Ramadan fasting said Muslims should internalise the lessons and good habits that usually come with the religious practice.
Similarly, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, urged Muslims to use the period of the Eid-el-Fitr to reflect on their spiritual lives as individuals and to pray for the incoming administration
In a Sallah message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, Wase said all Nigerians should be more dedicated to the Nigeria project, adding that with unity of purpose, building a virile and strong nation is achievable.
Also, the member representing Panshin, Kanke and Kanam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, who is aspiring for Speaker of the 10th National Assembly, urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the unity and progress of Nigeria.
He prayed that the Almighty Allah grant Nigeria a peaceful leadership transition on May 29.
Tinubu
Also, the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has promised not to fail Nigerians when he finally takes over the mantle of leadership from President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29.
In a Sallah message he personally signed yesterday, Tinubu said he remained committed to a greater and more prosperous Nigeria and urged Nigerians to become a better version of themselves in patriotism, dedication to duty and honesty.
“At the heart of our faith and a major demand on all faithful is the requirement to commit ourselves to wholesome living. This entails love for one another, love for fellow humans regardless of creed, region and ethnicity, love for our communities and love for country.
“To love one another, have compassion, empathy and love our beloved country means we must become better citizens in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammed.
Atiku
In his own Sallah message, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election, Atiku Abubakar, said that Nigeria needed peace, harmony and justice, but he was worried about the reality of the division in the country.
He said the outcome of the presidential election had widened the existing division in the country, adding that Nigeria’s fate should not abandoned to divisive and demagogic politicians.
“We must be part of the efforts to achieve interfaith dialogue with a view to achieving peaceful coexistence and a clime of love and religious tolerance.”
The former vice president congratulated the Muslims for witnessing the end of Ramadan and urged them to continue to live with the spirit of love, peace and harmony.
Govs
Gombe State governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, enjoined the Muslims to sustain the momentum of supplication, devotion and prayers for the peace, development and prosperity of the state and Nigeria as a whole.
He charged the Muslim faithful to replicate in their daily lives, the lessons learnt in the holy month of Ramadan.
His Niger counterpart, Abubakar Sani Bello, also called for continuous patience, tolerance, perseverance and humility which were observed vigorously during the month of Ramadan
