Kwara State governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq yesterday stressed the need for peace and tolerance among Nigerians.

AbdulRazaq spoke with newsmen shortly before the two rakah prayers at the Ilorin Eid praying ground. The observance of the prayer was peaceful and orderly in spite of the mammoth crowd that was at the venue.

The prayer which was led by the chief imam of Ilorin, Sheik Mohammed Bashir Salihu, had in attendance Governor AbdulRazaq, the emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the immediate past senate president, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and a national chairmanship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Salihu Mustapha, amongst other very important personalities.

In a short interview with newsmen before paying Eid homage to Emir Sulu-Gambari, AbdulRazaq said development occurs only in an atmosphere of peace, mutual tolerance and understanding.

“It is a message of peace. There is no alternative to peace. This is a state of harmony and we should let it remain like that. Our founding fathers worked so hard to entrench peace in the state and we will continue to promote peace and unity in our dear state.

“It is a new frontier. Security wise, we have seen improvements across the country. We are certain that things will continue to get better,” he said.

AbdulRazaq commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the fight against insecurity in different parts of the country, saying the current efforts have led to glaring improvements and checkmated agents of insecurity in Nigeria.

“We thank the President for deploying all the arsenals he could. We appreciate all institutions, security agencies, traditional rulers and all our people for putting all hands on deck to make sure that we combat the alarming rate of insecurity,” he added.

AbdulRazaq urged Kwarans to use the occasion of Sallah to look inward and preach peace and unity, and support one another as brothers.

TodayNG