Eid-el-Fitiri: South East Governors’ Forum Sue for peace and unity

THE South East Governors’ Forum has called on Muslim faithful to embrace peace and live in unity with their Christian brethren in the country.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, in his goodwill message to all Muslims on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitiri celebration implored them to maintain peace and learn to live in unity with other segments of the Nigerian society.

Umahi described this year’s celebration as very critical to the unity and peace of the country, adding that the country’s political space had been troubled by various hate speech from various parts of the country and maintained that the celebration was a good moment to let go of all hate speech and embrace peace as the only panacea for development.

Umahi who enumerated some of the challenges bedeviling the nation at this critical moment like ethnic and religious agitations in some parts of the country as well as demand for Biafra sovereignty by some people in the South-East, the Niger-Delta militancy in the South-South of the country urged Muslim faithful to preach peace and love as they mark this celebration.

He also assured all Muslim faithful living in any part of the South-East of adequate security of lives and property while calling on his brother governors in the Northern parts of the country to do same by ensuring the security of Ndigbo living in any part of their states. “We have assured our Northern brethren living in the South East of our commitment to ensuring their safety at all times as they go about their lawful businesses in our zone. This is because we believe in the unity of Nigeria not just as a slogan but as a reality. Every Nigerian must be allowed to live and do business in any part of the country. “That is why we have ensured that there is safety and peace in our zone despite the provocative hate speeches by some elements in the North. I also urge our brother governors in the North to do same by ensuring the safety of our Igbo brethren living in their state and that of their properties”.