Pray For Yar'Adua, VP, Tinubu Others Urge Nigerians
By our reporters
VICE President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged Nigerians to pray for the continued health of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, saying, "he is ok." Several others, including former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu also made the same call in their Sallah messages.
The Vice President also dismissed any anxiety about the President's health, saying they are just rumours.
According to him: "I express Mr. President's appreciation, and my own appreciation, to the Moslem community for their consistent prayers. May Almighty Allah continue to bless this country to see that we succeed as a nation and government, in all our endeavours.
"This morning, I personally convey Mr. President's personal greetings. We spoke yesterday and even this morning. After this time, I will even speak with him. He asked me to convey his personal greetings to all Nigerians.
"There are some rumours about some stories, but let me assure Nigerians that the President is okay. We spoke before he left this country. And we have been speaking. So, discountenance any form of false rumours being spread by mischievous characters in this country."
Continuing, Jonathan said: "I assure you that Mr. President is healthy. I want to thank you specially for your prayers for the President, your prayers for the government and your prayers for the country.
"Today, we are reliving the sacrifice that the Patriarch Abraham made. It is a challenge to us all. It is an opportunity for us to call on all Nigerians to emulate what our leader and Patriarch, Abraham did, because without that sacrifice, we would not have been here. Even as individuals, from childhood to adulthood, you will require sacrifices.
"We call on all Nigerians, especially those of us in government to reflect on this and shun temptations, just like Abraham and his men did. This special ceremony reflects what happened in those days."
In introducing the delegation of the Muslim Ummah, who came straight from the Sallah praying ground along the Airport Road in Abuja, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, explained that the delegation had to pay the customary homage to the Vice President, because "the President is in Jeddah. May Allah grant him excellent condition of health."
Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque, Alhaji Abdulrahman Musa, offered prayers "for the good health of the President and for the peace, stability and wellbeing of Nigeria."
Among those in the delegation were the Chief Justice of the Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi; Minister of Interior, Dr. Shettima Mustafa; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau; members of the diplomatic corps and top government officials.
Tinubu also yesterday called on Nigerians to pray for the speedy recuperation of President Yar'Adua.
Speaking after the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the Obalende praying grounds in Lagos, Tinubu said the President needed the prayers of everyone.
And in the spirit of the season, Moslems have been urged to always uphold Islamic tenets as enunciated by Prophet Mohammed.
Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gabriel Giwa-Amu, who gave the advice when he received some Islamic clerics from Omintuntun in Alimosho Council of the state said the period calls for sober reflection, enjoining them not see it as a time for wining and eating alone.
Also yesterday, Senate Leader Teslim Folarin; former Oyo State governor, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja; Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao; and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi in separate statements said Nigerians must pray for the successful completion of Yar'Adua's tenure.
While Folarin expressed disappointment over the President's rumoured death by Nigerians, he gave assurance that Yar'Adua was fine and doing well and will soon return to his desk.
He said: "I feel very sad when we speculate about peoples' health, the person I know there is nothing much wrong with him. I am not a member of his Federal Executive Council (FEC), but I know that he works on daily basis till 7pm. He is a workaholic."
Ladoja, on his part, urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the successful tenure of the present administration.
Arisekola also called for restraint in the way and manner people read meanings to the health of President Yar'Adua, noting that since only God gives life, it would amount to playing God for people who do not have confidence in his ability to lead Nigeria to the Promised Land to speculate on his state of health.
The Soun of Ogbomoso stressed the need for Nigerians to pray fervently for the President to enable him pilot the affairs of the country well.
He added that the country would be a better place for all to live in if we see ourselves as one and refrain from unpatriotic activities that portray us in bad light at home and abroad.
On his part, The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, called on Nigerians to pray for the President for God to graciously restore his health to enable him to fulfill the purpose for which he was given the leadership of the country.
The royal father renewed his call on religious leaders to ensure that messages preached at various places of worship are based on the holy books to avoid misleading members.
In the same vein, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Istifanus Mwansat, called on the people of the state to imbibe the culture of sacrifice as a means to a peaceful co-existence.
According to him: "As our Moslem brothers and sisters celebrate this year's Sallah, we need to realise that we should be at peace always with our neighbours. This is our most reasonable duty as citizens of this great nation and state. Allah is the ultimate of our religions and we should allow this to guide us always."
Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State urged Moslems to uphold the ideals of brotherly love and pursue peace and goodness in all their endeavours.
According to Imoke, the celebration of this important day in their lives as Moslems is an affirmation of their faith in Allah, and the teachings of Prophet Mohammed.
