By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin
The Kwara state Muslim stakeholders, a forum representing Muslim leaders in all the 16 local government areas of the state, has asked the president- elect, General Muhammdu Buhari, to justify the confidence repose in him by leading Nigerians with fear of God bearing in mind that the expectations of Nigerians are high.
The group, in a statement signed by the former secretary-general, Jama’atu Nasri-I-Islam (JNI), Justice Abdulkadir Orire, also advised the president-elect to see his victory as divine.
The group also expressed joy over the peaceful conduct of last elections and thanked the Almighty Allah for allowing the election to go on without rancour and acrimony despite the prediction that Nigeria may cease to exist as a result of the election.
Orire, who is the pioneer Grand Khadi, Kwara state Sharia Court of Appeal, also prayed that the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections were conducted under peaceful atmosphere.
“As the presidential election has come and gone with the emergence of General Mohammadu Buhari as the president-elect, we call for continued calm and sustenance of peace and stability in the country.
He said there was the need for Buhari to strive and unite Nigerians and run his government without ethnic, tribal or religious sentiment, adding that he should appoint people with competence and proven integrity in his administration to drive his policies and programmes.
“We equally commend President Goodluck Jonathan for the heroic concession of defeat to General Buhari, hours before the final declaration of results by INEC. This singular action by the President has made him a hero not only in Nigeria but Africa and the entire world.
“President Jonathan’s decision to concede defeat to Buhari has not only doused tension in the country but deepened the country’s democracy and ranked us high in the comity of advanced nations of the world. We pray Almighty Allah to continue to be with the President in his future endeavours.
The stakeholders commend the Emir of Ilorin and the Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu-Gambari, as well as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Saad Abubakar and other Muslim leaders for their prayers and fatherly support, which no doubt translated into the peaceful conduct of the election.
“We urge the entire Muslims, Imams and clerics to continue to pray for the state and the country in general ahead of next Saturday governorship and state assemblies elections”, Orire stated.
