Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged Muslims in the country to embrace the virtues of forgiveness and common understanding as they join counterparts across the world to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fasting season.
The former Vice President in a press statement released by his media office on Thursday, 16 July 2015 noted that one of the basic components of Ramadan fasting is to seek the mercy of God to forgive us our sins, and thus it becomes imperative for us as humans to extend the grace of forgiveness and common understanding to other human beings as well.
According to the statement, “being good Muslims requires that we follow the examples of Prophet Muhammed who was always quick to forgive those that transgressed against him and lived a life of building common understanding among people.”
The statement added that at a time such as now when Nigeria is at the threshold of a new beginning, it is important that all hands are on deck and old gaps are closed in order to support the new political leadership.
The Turaki Adamawa while congratulating every Muslim for the successful completion of the Ramadan fasting season noted that it was a season of abundant grace from God almighty for the forgiveness of our sins.
“As Muslims, we must live our lives by the examples of Prophet Muhammed in ensuring that we build peace and common understanding in our families and our communities.
“As citizens of Nigeria, we must come together to close old gaps and create new understanding that will ensure that the political leadership succeeds in the objective of giving us a new beginning as a country.
“Let us use the end of the Ramadan fasting to promote a re-awakening of peace and unity in our personal lives, our communities and in Nigeria at large,” Atiku said.
Saraki to Nigerian Muslims: Pray to God for National Unity, Peace and Progress
Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has congratulated Nigerian Muslims and their counterparts across the world for the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan fasting and celebration of Eid-el-Fitri while calling on them to intensify prayers for unity, peace and progress in Nigeria.
Saraki, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said Muslims should adhere to one of the injunctions of Allah that formed the basis of sermons delivered in various mosques during the holy month that all citizens should pray for their leaders and their nation so that the leaders can receive divine guidance while initiating measures that will bring comfort and respite for the generality of the people.
“At this point in our national life, unity among all the different ethnic and religious groups will usher in peace and peace can only engender progress and development. We therefore need to learn to live together in peace, tolerate one another and eschew actions which can threaten the peace of the nation.
“Muslims, in particular, should continue to demonstrate the fact that the meaning of Islam is peace and therefore we should learn to live in peace with people of other faith and tolerate each other. We should also remember our fellow citizens in the North eastern part of the country who are being assailed by insurgents who call themselves Boko Haram”, he said.
The Senate President urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for our military men who are engaged in the war against the insurgents so that by the period of the next Ramadan, peace would have been totally restored to the whole of the North East and other parts of Nigeria.
He added that good follower-ship is a sine qua non for good leadership and that Nigerians should always display patriotism, pay their taxes as at when due, eschew corrupt practices and protect public facilities as if it is their own.
Pray for peace, unity, stability of Nigeria- Dogara
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has felicitated with Muslim faithfuls in the country on the celebration of Eid el fitir.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs Turaki Hassan on Thursday, the Speaker called on all Nigerians not to relent in prayers for the peace, unity and development of Nigeria.
He said, Nigerians especially Muslims should use the Sallah period to pray for Nigeria to over come the multifaceted challenges facing the country.
He said that, more than ever before, the present crop of leaders are coming at a very difficult time when the country`s economy is in bad shape, and worsened by dwindling revenues, as leaders, we are ready and prepared to make the necessary sacrifice (s) and lead by example.
The Speaker maintained that recent happenings in the country especially the renewed attacks by the Boko Haram in the North East are source of concern, nonetheless, he expressed hope that Nigeria will surely over come.
He described the resurgence of bombings of Churches and Mosques by the insurgents as last kicks of a dying horse and that it will soon be a thing of the past.
Dogara commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent shake up in the military high command with the appointment of new Service Chiefs which he said has signaled the beginning of the end of insurgency in the country.
The Speaker promised that the National Assembly will continue to provide the much needed support and funding for the equipping of the military and other security agencies to enable them succeed in the fight against terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping and other crimes.
He said so long as Nigerians remain united, there is nothing that we cannot achieve as a people and I will continue to call on our country men and women keep hope alive as happy times will be here again.
Eid el-Fitr : Kalu calls for spiritual rebirth
Eminent businessman and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has congratulated the Muslim community in Nigeria on the successful completion of the compulsory 30-day Ramadan fasting.
In a goodwill message signed by his Special Adviser, Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said, “I wish to join our Muslim brothers and sisters in celebrating this year’s Eid al -Fitr. Despite the completion of Ramadan fast, the Muslim Ummah and Nigerians alike need to sustain the virtues of the holy month by maintaining the love, togetherness and peaceful co-existence that characterized the holy month.
“The discipline and self-restraint as exemplified during the holy month is the only way to live a good life and make the society a better place to live. The Sallah celebration should be seen as a season for sober reflection as individuals and as a people. We must rededicate our lives to the teachings of the Holy Book as demonstrated by Prophet Mohammed. It is my prayer that God will grant the Muslim faithful the attendant blessings of the holy month of Ramadan.
“In order to maintain peace and harmony in the country, Nigerians must respect one another’s faith and ideology”,Kalu added.
The former governor used the opportunity to admonish Nigerians to be law abiding and selfless so as to build a prosperous nation while calling on the perpetrators of the incessant attacks on worship centers and other sacred places to desist in the interest of peace.
While wishing the Muslim Ummah a fulfilling celebration, Kalu urged them to extend the gesture of Eid al- Fitr to friends and well wishers in other religions.
Mark felicitates with Nigerians @ Salah, prays for an end to insurgency
Immediate past President of the Senate Senator David Mark has again called for ceaseless prayers and genuine resolve by all Nigerians in the war against insurgency in the country.
Senator Mark in a good will message to Muslim faithful to commemorate this year’s Eid- el-Fitri called on all men good will to rise to the challenge posed by the unabating terrorism being orchestrated by Boko Haram insurgents.
He said the situation was pushing the nation to the extreme and truly unbearable saying ” there is no hiding place any more . We must face the reality of a war situation . We either confront the monster headlong or get consumed.”
Senator Mark bemoaned the agonies being unleashed on Nigerians ” especially in the North East region that has led to millions of avoidable deaths, made our people refugees in their fatherland and destroyed properties worth millions of Naira.”
While calling for the cooperation of all citizens to the military in the war against terrorism, he stressed the need for persistent prayer so that the Almighty creator can intervene for the people.
He was of the view that both the government and the led must work together and adopt the attitude of being our brothers’ keeper at all times..
To boost the war against terrorism, Senator Mark added that community policing would be a panacea to insurgency because every one would be involved.
” I am convinced that we can over come our challenges including insecurity if we come together in a honest, sincere and committed manner . In this circumstances , we have no choice but to come together and confront our problem in a holistic way”, Senator Mark stated.
