FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar, his co-presidential aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Alhaji Kabir Turaki, have felicitated with Nigerians on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr and congratulated Muslims for the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.
Abubakar in his message urged Muslims to project Islam through the good examples of love, tolerance and peaceful disposition at all times, which he said are prerequisite for protecting the perception of the religion from distortion.
The former Vice President, while congratulating the Muslim faithful on the successful completion of the divinely ordered abstention from foods and drinks, explained that the event should reinforce the fear of Allah in the hearts of the believers.
According to him, the virtues of the sacrifice should be sustained beyond the Ramadan by Muslims, adding that the fasting period makes believers appreciate the impact of hunger and be more committed to the hardships of millions who cannot feed themselves.
Atiku said the spirit of the Ramadan creates a bond of empathy between the haves and have-nots, explaining that compassion “is an important ingredient of our common humanity.”
The Waziri Adamawa also called on fellow Muslims to show greater commitment to peace, unity and tolerance in order to create harmony and understanding in the country. He said unity is a condition for building a formidable nation, adding that without unity, a country is politically vulnerable.
He explained that in the absence of peace, even religion would be hard to practice and that we should not take peace for granted at all times.
The former Vice President, who condemned religious extremists for giving Islam a bad name, advised Muslim parents to protect their children from the negative influences of those who preach hate and intolerance.
Atiku also called on political leaders at all levels and of all persuasion to have the fear of God and the love for the people in their activities.
While urging leaders to use power fairly and justly, the former Vice President also stressed the need for politicians to be accessible to the people instead of living in fortresses of power that detaches them from the reality of the people.
He stressed that leadership is about service to the people and there are numerous examples in the tradition of Prophet Muhammed SAW and his followers like Umar who left their comfort zones to feel the pulse of hardship on the poor in the society.
In his own message signed by Mukhtar Sirajo, his media aide, Makarfi enjoined Nigerians not to lose sight of the lessons inherent in the spiritual rejuvenation, sacrifice and self-deprivation of Ramadan that are some of the fundamental components of the fasting period.
“This way, we will continue to show empathy to the less privileged and generally be better brothers’ keepers,” he said.
He prayed that all acts of worship collectively and individually rendered be accepted by Allah (SWT), especially prayers for the prosperity and sustainable peace in Nigeria.
As Nigeria grapples with security and other socioeconomic challenges, Makarfi enjoined all to seize the opportunity provided by this holy season to intensify prayers to Almighty Allah for a speedy resolution too all problems, even as he calls on the relatively well-to-do to look out for less privileged friends, brothers and sisters to share with them the joys of the moment.
In his message to mark the end of Ramadan, Turaki similarly urged leaders at all levels to make the welfare of the people a priority.
The former Minister of Special Duties, in a statement signed by Sola Atere, Director Media and Publicity, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki Presidential Campaign Organization, he noted that it is when the people are given appropriate shares in the wealth of the land in accordance with Allah’s injunction that the society can be a better place to live in for everybody.
While congratulating the Muslim Ummah for a successful completion of Ramadan, Tanimu stressed that the enduring lessons of piety, obedience to the will of Allah, patience and fostering charity or sharing the burden of others which characterized the fasting period, should continue to direct the lives of not only the Muslim faithful but every other Nigerian at all times.
He also called on both the temporal and spiritual leaders to help in creating awareness for people to shun their differences and work for a united, safe and prosperous country which will be respected in the comity of nations.
He prayed for Almighty Allah’s mercy, favour and guidance for the nation and its people as the country approaches the crucial general elections in 2019.