Traditional rulers yesterday urged politicians to promote peace, unity and harmony in the country.
Speaking in separate messages to mark the Muslim celebration of Eid el Kabir,
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, The Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi, Emir of zauzau Dr. Shehu Idris, Emir of Ilorin and Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar in separate messages to mark the Muslim celebration of Eid el Kabir, sounded a not of cautuion.
They also enjoined Nigerians to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to vote their choice candidates in next year’s elections.
The Sultan said: “Nigeria is above all of us; peace and unity of the country should always remain our priority, all our political parties should always consider Nigeria first,’’ he said.
He also advised the youths not to allow any politicians to use them for selfish purposes.
The Sultan called on all eligible Nigerians to ensure they have the permanent voter cards to enable them vote for candidates of their choice.
The President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said: ý”I urge you to obtain your PVCs. Without which you cannot not vote for your favourite party and candidates in the forthcoming elections in 2019.
“We should see our PVCs as religious weapons not the kind of weapons given to our youths by unscrupulous politicians to cause mayhem in our societies.
“If you love Buhari, the only way you can ensure his success is obtaining your PVCs and same thing with Governor (Aminu) Tambuwal and other aspirants,” he said
Emir of Kano Sanusi II called on Nigerians to continue to live in peace with one another so as to foster peace, love and unity in the country.
He spoke after he led the Eid prayer at the Kofar Mata Central Eid ground in Kano metropolis.
He stressed the need for all Nigerians irrespective of their political and religious inclination to promote peaceful co-existence to ensure economic growth and development in the country.
The monarch also called on wealthy individuals to support the less-privileged in the society to alleviate their sufferings.
He said there was need for the people of the state to continue to pray for peace and progress of the state in particular and the country at large as the 2019 general elections draw nearer.
While praying for bumper harvest in the state and the country, the monarch charged unemployed youths to engage in useful and meaningful ventures to enable them become self-reliant and contribute to the development of the country.
He charged the people of the state to ensure that they obtain voter cards to enable them exercise their civic responsibility during the forthcoming general elections.
The Emir of Zazzu who spoke at his palace in Zaria, Kaduna State, said:
“I want to call on parents to redouble efforts towards providing Islamic and western education to their children and also ensure their proper upbringing to build a brighter future.
“We must collectively monitor their activities in order to guide them against all sorts of social vices so that they can grow as better citizens and good future leaders.
“I want to use this medium to appreciate the present administrations in Kaduna State and Nigeria over the successes recorded in the past few years.”
He called on the people to support government policies and programmes, especially those meant to change their lives for the better.
Ooni Ogunwusi advised Nigerian politicians and party supporters to refrain from promoting violence.
He gave the advice at the Eid Praying Ground at Ilode, Ile-Ife.
The monarch said that there was no gain in violence, adding that the nobody’s blood ought to be shed on account of elections.
He appealed to the youths to be conscious of their future and shun politicians who use them for violence at the detriment of their future.
He sued for peace and admonished all Nigerians to jointly work for the development and progress of the country.
The Emir of Ilorin called on Nigerians to uphold the significance of Eid-el Kabir, such as total trust and obedience to God, to accelerate the pace of economic recovery.
The monarch charged Muslims to sustain the relative peace and harmony the state is known for at all times and be security conscious at all times.
The Etsu Nupe urged district heads and stakeholders to mobilise their subjects to get their PVCs
The Chairman, Niger State Council of Chiefs, said “The PVC is a very potent weapon to either vote in or vote out any candidate seeking to occupy any elective office.
“Without it, one would not be able to exercise due constitutional responsibility of casting vote in the nation’s electoral process’’, he said.
The monarch urged those who had not registered to take advantage of the extension to go and register before the Aug. 31 deadline.
The Etsu also advised his subjects to be law abiding, respect constituted authorities and live in peace, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.
He urged the people and other Nigerians to pray and support government at all levels.
Abubakar appealed to Nigerians to shun all acts capable of breaching peace and unity, adding that such acts would setback the progress of the country.
“Peace is the veritable tool for national development and without it no nation can achieve progress.
“We should therefore as patriotic citizens continue to uphold the noble virtues of peace, unity and love for one another, irrespective of religion, ethnic or political affiliations’’, he said
