Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday congratulated the Muslim faithful on the commencement of the Ramadan Fast and urged them to remain holy throughout the period.
Saraki and Ekweremadu, in separate statements in Abuja, said the period of fasting and sober reflection must be seen by all Muslims as an opportunity to ask for the divine intervention of the Almighty in the affairs of the country.
The senate president said, "Specifically, we must pray for Allah's guidance in our quest to rebuild Nigeria under this new administration.
"As we pray for God's mercies over our lives in this season, we must remember that Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam, and as such, we must use this period to seek the face of Allah for all our troubles.
"As we do this, we must also remember to be of exemplary conduct at all times as holiness is key to maximizing the spiritual and physical benefits of the Holy Month."
He urged Muslims to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari, whose efforts is to seek lasting partnerships that will move Nigeria forward.
He also tasked Islamic scholars and teachers to be guarded in their utterances during the fasting period and beyond.
Also, Ekweremadu called on Nigerians to close ranks and work for the peace and progress of the nation irrespective of political, ethnic, and religious diversities.
He described peace and unity as the fundamental ingredients for quick-paced and lasting development, stressing that Nigeria had come to a juncture where all lovers of the country must put aside their differences to pray and work for national harmony.
He said, "We have just had a successful election and transition, despite predictions to the contrary.
This has multiplied the respect and goodwill we command in the comity of nations. But it was achieved because Nigerians came together and ensured that national interest prevailed over personal or other narrow interests.
"Now that the three arms of government are fully in place, I would like to appeal to fellow politicians to close ranks, give politics a break, and direct their total attention and energy to governance."
EmoticonEmoticon