Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and head of Jama’tu Nasril Islam (JNI), has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, contestants and voters for the peaceful conduct of presidential and national assembly elections.

The leader of JNI, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, made the felicitation in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Shaykh Khalid Abubakar, on Sunday in Kaduna.

Abubakar said: “We are grateful to Allah for the peaceful and successful conduct of the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections as well as the subsequent declaration of the winner.

“However, we call on all the political contenders in Nigeria to, in the name Allah, take it easy and sheath their swords as in every contest there will always be a winner and a loser.

“But in this case, all the contestants are the winners, because Nigerians are now beginning to understand the dynamics of politics and democracy.

“Moreover, Nigerians must be in peace with one another before anybody will think of governing the entity called Nigeria, except if he/she thinks otherwise.

The Saduanan of Sokoto said that absence of peace was tantamount to state of anarchy which must be avoided no matter the concerns.

“Peace must be embraced by all as Nigeria clearly needs peace for its growth and development and considering that the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are coming up on Saturday.

“We use this medium to appeal to all politicians and their supporters to embrace peace and also be decorous in actions and speeches, before, during and after the elections,” he added.

Abubakar further said that the contestants must not fuel the embers of hatred nor beat the drum of war amongst the peoples.

“So, restraint should be exercised as this is a crucial period for the evolutionary process of the Nigerian state.

“We must all be seen to be statesmen such that we will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the comity of nations.

“Security agencies are implored to redouble their efforts in the discharge of their constitutional responsibility especially during the forthcoming gubernatorial elections,” he stated.

Abubakar said it was high time Nigerians did away with rancour and bitterness while sincere and concerted efforts should be put in place to address insecurity as well as bad governance in Nigeria.

He called on Imams, Islamic scholars and all Muslims to fervently continue with supplications for peace and security to reign in the country.

“This is so because we have clearly seen its result during the just concluded 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections,” Abubakar said. (NAN)