Buhari, Dogara, Tinubu, Ambode, Others Sue For Tolerance, Peace, Unity At Sallah

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians irrespective of religious affiliations to live in peace and refrain from making remarks capable of causing disunity. This was contained in his message on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitri signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, last night.

The message read:

“I am immensely grateful to God for his mercy in guiding us successfully to conclude another Ramadan fast. My greetings to all Nigerian Muslims and our brother Christians on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitri.

“May the lessons of Ramadan namely; piety, self-denial, prayers and generosity to the poor and needy be with us for all time. “I, again, appeal to all Nigerians to avoid reckless statements or actions against our fellow countrymen. We should all resolve to live in peace and unity in our great country, which is the envy of many less endowed nations. “Happy Eid-el-Fitr,” the statement said.

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, while declaring the new moon yesterday night at his palace in Sokoto, said the new moon was sighted in parts of the country including Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

He therefore asked Muslims all over the country to cease to fast as it is not permitted to fast on Sallah day. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in a goodwill message on the occasion of Eid-el- Fitri Sallah, urged religious leaders to continue to preach and promote the virtues of unity, genuine love for one another and peaceful co-existence for Nigeria to attain greatness and eschew divisive and hate tendencies.

He said Nigerians must learn to live in harmony, tolerate one another and see the nation’s diversity as a source of strength. While congratulating Muslims Ummah on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, he called on them to imbibe and demonstrate the lessons of kindness, tolerance and submission to higher authority, identified with the holy month and put Nigeria first in all their endeavours.

Reiterating his call for continued and sustained prayers for the health of President Buhari and the prosperity of the country, the Speaker expressed optimism that with the passage and subsequent signing of the 2017 budget, as well as legislative and executive measures put in place, Nigeria is on the verge of surmounting current recession and fulfilling its potential as a great nation.

Former Lagos governor and All Progressives Congress national stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has spoken against those calling for violence or issuing quit notice to other Nigerians to leave their areas to desist from such.

“Voices calling for violence must be roundly condemned for it is wrong to incite brother to go against brother and neighbour to combat neighbour. Voices calling for secession and break-up are wrong and should not be followed,” he said in his Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians at the weekend.

The statement issued on Saturday by Tinubu Media Office and signed by his Media Adviser, Tunde Rahman said the spirit of sacrifice, self discipline, goodwill, justice, tolerance, mercy, forgiveness and compassion inherent in the Ramadan Fast should remain with Muslim faithful to guide their day-to-day interactions and relationships with one another.

Asiwaju Tinubu said in the statement: “For all Muslim Brothers and Sisters and indeed for all Nigerians, may this be a happy and peaceful Eid-el-Fitri. “The holy month of Ramadan has now past but we dare not allow the spirit and the true meaning behind the holy month also pass. We must keep hold of the excellent and wonderful things the holy month of Ramadan signifies.

“Ramadan is more than a month of fasting. We fast to strengthen our relationship and our appreciation of Allah. We fast to make ourselves better servants of both Allah and our fellow man. As such, we must emerge from the fast imbued with the spirit of sacrifice, self-discipline, goodwill, justice, tolerance, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.