By Gbenga Olarinoye & Ikenna Asomba

Senator Mudashir Hussein, representing Osun West Senatorial District, has urged Nigerians to pray for peace and unity of the country during and after the Eid-el-Kabir.

He spoke at a programme to mark the celebration in Ejigbo, Osun, insisting that people should eschew differences in ethnicity, opinions, political views and religions, to promote the unity of the country.

He said Nigerians must learn to tolerate one another, pray for the stability of the nation and support the leaders.

He said with tolerance, patriotism, prayer and commitment to nation building, the country would ensure better life for the citizens.

In his comments, Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, stressed the need for religious leaders to pray for total elimination of insurgency in the country.

The speaker said religious tolerance remained a vital tool for sustainable peace and political development of any country.

“I want to  urge Nigerians to embrace peace for the stability and progress of the nation. Peace and stability will enable the country to attain sustained socio-economic development and peace,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Sheikh Sulaiman Omotokese, the Chief Imam of Ejigbo, also urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony to overcome the country’s security challenges.

He specifically called on politicians to assist the government in ensuring a peaceful atmosphere that could guarantee credible elections in 2015

Muslim group cautions politicians

Meanwhile, a Muslim group, the Muslim Association of Nigeria, MAN, has sued for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians, even as it cautioned politicians against making statements capable of inciting violence ahead of the 2015 elections.

In his Eid-el Kabir message, the group’s President, Alhaji Sulaimon Yusuf , who urged Muslims to use the festival to show love to their neighbours, insisted that the only way the country can move forward is for all to live in peace with one another.

He said: “We must tolerate each other which I believe will bring about peace and tranquility. This country can be great if only we can all pursue peace and love our neighbours. This is time to show love to the poor and needy in our society. ”