Eid Maulud: Jonathan, Fashola, IGP, Others Salute Muslim Faithful Adesuwa Tsan, Chika Otuchikere, George Agba, George Okojie, Jonathan Nda-Isaiah — Jan 2, 2015 | 0 Comments Prominent Nigerians have been giving their Eid-Maulud messages to Muslim faithful across the country, with a call on Nigerians to ensure that 2015 ends peacefully with a successful general election. President Goodluck Jonathan, who led in the felicitations, assured Nigerians that none of them will be discriminated against in the name of religion, ethnicity or social standing under his watch as president. Jonathan also admitted that corruption, insurgency and slump in oil prices were the major challenges confronting the country at the moment and gave a hint of his New Year action plan to tackle the major issues disturbing Nigerians. In his Eid-El-Maulud message to Muslims, Jonathan felicitated with all Nigerians of the Islamic faith as they commemorated the birth of Prophet Mohammed and urged them to offer special Jumat prayers for successful and peaceful elections in Nigeria in February. In a statement, the presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, conveyed the president assurances to Muslims and all Nigerians that the federal government will do all within its power to ensure that the general elections next month were free, fair, credible and violence-free. He said, “President Jonathan believes that this is essential to guarantee that Nigeria remains politically stable and continues on a steady path to the fulfilment of its peoples’ collective vision of a strong, united and prosperous nation. “The president also calls on all adherents of Islam in the country to seize the opportunity of the New Year and Eid-el-Maulud holidays to reflect deeply on the need for a greater application of the Prophet Mohammed’s teachings of piety, charity, tolerance, justice and peaceful co-existence with others in the collective effort to overcome current national challenges.” Meanwhile, President Jonathan has declared that the battle against corruption goes beyond arresting suspects and showing them on television. Speaking at a New Year special service held at the Dunamis International Church, Abuja, the president noted that, in this new year, his administration will concern itself with building institutions and strengthening existing ones so that the system can on its own deal with the issue of containing corruption. He also assured that in the new year, government would redouble its efforts in the battle against the Boko Haram sect, saying: “I can assure you that, like Ebola, we will defeat terrorism.” On the general elections scheduled for next month, the president frowned at a situation whereby some politicians do not mind burning the country, in their desperate quest for power. Senate president David Mark, in his felicitation with Muslims and all Nigerians alike, called on them to reflect on the teaching of Prophet Mohammed and to imbibe his true attributes. Mark, who spoke through his chief press secretary, Paul Mumeh, said, “We should reflect and indeed imbibe the true teachings of Prophet Mohammed . Those attributes of love, selfless services, sacrifice and care especially for the less privileged should of a necessity be our guide today.” Senator Mark further called for constant prayers, honesty and unwavering commitment to the ideals of nationhood on the part, to help the country overcome present challenges, especially insecurity. He implored religious leaders across the divide to always preach love, peace and unity and to consciously stress on those things that unite Nigerians as one people with a common destiny and heritage. The Senate president gave the assurance that in spite of the anxieties being expressed in some quarters about the conduct of 2015 polls, the exercise would mark a positive turning point in the nation’s political life. Government, he assured, has put in place enough safe guard measures, including an improved security network, to ensure hitch-free polls. “Nigerians now know that our destiny is in our hands. Citizens now know the value of their votes. They can no longer be tele-guided. They would vote according to their choices and the votes will count,” Mark stressed. Senator Mark cautioned against mudslinging and the politics of bitterness because the political space has been widened enough in terms of the number of political parties for everybody to pursue their ambitions. Meanwhile, the inspector-general of police, IGP Suleiman Abba, who joined his Muslim brothers and sisters across the globe in celebrating the birth of Prophet Mohammed, urged all Muslim Umma to emulate the lifestyle of the Holy Prophet by being kind and accommodating to their neighbours and everyone they come across. Abba, who made the call in a statement by the Force spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, ordered all commands and formations of the Force nationwide to remain alert and ensure the security architecture put in place was improved upon to ensure adequate protection of life and property. The police boss who lauded the hard work of officers and men during the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year festivities, further directed all officers to be more professional in the course of discharging their duties so that the citizens can have a hitch-free holiday and Eid-el Maulud celebrations. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, in his message, charged Muslims to imbibe the virtues of humility, sacrifice and sharing as demonstrated by the life and times of the Holy Prophet Mohammed. leadership.ng
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 13:44:06 +0000
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