The former President gave the advice when he received a delegation of former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ministers Forum, who paid him a sallah visit in his Abuja residence.
He stated that that no nation or her economy could grow where there was no peace.
According to him, “We should always use this period to know that the unity of the country is paramount.
“We cannot develop as a nation; no matter how the people demonstrate, and no president can do magic if there is so much tension in the land.
“This is because, immediately there is sense of insecurity in any country investors go back, and when investors go back, of course your economy will doom.
“What improves the economy is confidence and what makes investors to have confidence is peace.
“Nobody want to invest where there is no peace, except those that invest in arms and ammunition.
“Nobody wants to go and invest where you are not too sure of the security if your workers, facilities and so on.
“We should all pray and work towards that peace. That is the only way as a nation we can grow our economy,”
The former president appreciated God for the successful and peaceful celebration of 2017 year sallah.
“You know the incident facing the country everyday, are treats by terror groups and other allied bodies and we did it, without incidents. We have to thank God, commend our Muslim brothers,” he added.
Jonathan also commended the former ministers for forming the forum and for finding time to celebrate sallah with his family.
He said that he was particularly elated and for seen the former ministers coming together under one unique platform saying, Nigeria is a country that we should do everything that will bring us together.
“We should begin to reduce the cleavages and fault lines and former ministers coming together to form a political body that will look at things with National interest and advocate things that will be of use to the whole nation is quiet commendable.”
He, however, congratulated all Muslim brothers and sisters in the country for the successfully completed Ramadan fast and the celebration.
In his remark, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, the chairman of the forum said that the delegation comprised of former ministers forum from 1999 to 2015 came to pay homage to Jonathan to say barka de Sallah.
Turaki said that the visit as usual had always availed them the opportunity to share with Jonathan issues of national interest.
He said that Jonathan had not stopped to encourage the Muslims during their Ramadan fasts through his words of encouragement.
Turaki also commended Jonathan for willingly handover power in 2015 when he was defeated by demonstrating his words that his ambition did not worth the blood of any Nigerian.
“Nigerians are beginning to appreciate the effort you made in moving this country forward.
“Nigerians are still getting more aware of the enormous sacrifice you made to ensure that Nigeria remain together as one as indivisible and indissoluble nation.
“If you have not taken the decision you took sir, there probably may not have been Nigeria Even if Nigeria survive certainly it would not have been without bruises, Turaki said.
Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation also commended Jonathan and described him as a great leader that had encouraged many Nigerians.
“You still have so much to offer this country. The future is great for us, for PDP and this country,” Fani-Kayode said.
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