The Senate President, Bukola Saraki;
the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; and the Sultan of Sokoto,
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll-led Jama’atu Nasril, and the Arewa
Consultative Forum, have called for sustained prayers against killings
and for the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections.....
Saraki and Ekweremadu made the call in
separate statements issued on Thursday to congratulate Muslims on the
end of Ramadan and Eid-el-Fitri celebration.
Saraki, in the statement issued by his
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu,
congratulated Muslim faithful across the country.
Saraki said, “We have just ended a
month-long fast thus paving the way for the Eid-el-Fitri celebrations.
These two periods are such times that the Almighty Allah enjoins us to
ask for His blessings. We should, therefore, use the opportunity to pray
for the country and its leaders.”
The Senate President called on Nigerians
to use the season to promote national integration, saying “Eid-el-Fitri
is a time of love and goodwill. It gives us a message to love all and
hate none.”
Ekweremadu, in the statement issued by
his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, urged Muslims to
continue to pray for the nation, especially towards the successful
conduct of the 2019 elections.
He said, “I congratulate our Muslim Umah
on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast and prayers, with its
life-enriching lessons in the virtues of love, forbearance, unity,
patriotism and self-sacrifice.
“I urge them to continue in a life of
prayers for the nation. Being the last Ramadan before the 2019 general
elections, I urge our Muslim brethren and indeed all Nigerians to
continue to pray for the peaceful and successful conduct of the
elections.”
Also, lawmaker representing Lagos West
Senatorial District, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, said it was his hope
that the spiritual lessons of Ramadan and the injunctions of Holy
Prophet on self-denial, love, peaceful co-existence, fairness and
justice would continue in Muslims’ daily life, according to the
statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Kayode Odunaro.
Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji
Sa’ad Abubakar lll-led Jama’atu Nasril, urged Nigerian Muslims to imbibe
the virtues of Muslim Ramadan such as faith, sincerity, sacrifice,
humility, compassion for the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians.
The JNI’s Secretary General, Dr.
Abubakar Khalid-Aliyu, on behalf of the Sultan, thanked Allah for the
successful completion of this year Ramadan and enjoined Muslims to
imbibe lessons learnt from the exercise.
The JNI said, “The Jama’atu Nasril
Islam, under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and
the President-General, uses this medium to, once again thank Allah, the
Most High for sparing our lives to have observed the acts of worshipping
Him.
“Thus, the most inherent lessons
embedded in Ramadan fasting such as faith, sincerity, sacrifice,
humility, compassion, alms giving, piety, commitment, etc., should be
sustained for our own good.
“Nigerian Muslims are therefore called
upon to reflect their minds to the good virtues of the month of Ramadan
and keep to its teachings all through their respective lives.”
A statement by the National Publicity
Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim-Biu,
in Kaduna, said the northern group was deeply concerned by the hate
speech across the country which if not handled with care, could snowball
into “avoidable” conflicts ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The ACF noted that rather than the use
of vulgar languages, threat and intimidation, Nigerians should embrace
dialogue and forgiveness and the most civilised ways of addressing
grievances.
The forum also called on the three arms
of government – executive, legislature and the judiciary to shun
bitterness and work harmoniously for the betterment of Nigerians.
Emphasising on the need for the growth
of the nation’s democracy, the ACF noted that the efficacy of the
Nigerian law to bring about the much-needed development and social
justice, would depend largely on the actions or inactions of the
political leaders.
The ACF reminded Muslims to imbibe the lessons from the Ramadan so as to influence their deeds in words and practice.
The group also condemned the wanton
killings in the country, occasioned by the suspected herdsmen attacks in
Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and other parts of the country.
The northern group said, “ACF,
therefore, wishes the Muslim Ummah a peaceful and Happy Eid-el-Fitri
celebration and hopes that the spirit of Ramadan will continue to
influence their deeds in words and practice.
“The Forum equally urges Nigerians to
continue to devote themselves to prayers for our unity, peaceful
coexistence and harmony as we march towards the 2019 general elections.
“Surely, the killings by insurgents and
other armed bandits are crimes against humanity which all religions
enjoin their followers to abhor.”
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