Buhari To Muslim Clerics: I Have Had Extensive Interactions With Nigerian Christians

NAN – President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 said he has met with Christian from all over the country and exchanged ideas with them.

Speaking when he hosted some Islamic clerics to breaking of Ramadan fast at the presidential villa in Abuja, Buhari called on religious leaders to intensify prayers for a better and progressive Nigeria.

The president, who recalled meeting with the scholars during the last Ramadan period in 2015, revealed that he had similar meetings with Christian clerics before the beginning of Ramadan period.

Buhari’s comment is coming hours after the northern zone of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) accused him of sidelining Christians in appointment.

“I’m very pleased we have actually met. Before the Ramadan I met our Christians brothers, from all over the country and we exchanged ideas with them,” he said.

“I’m very pleased, we realised that this is our problem; the country’s problem is our problem. Nobody will solve it for us. We pray very hard to God. We work very hard and let us continue that way.

“If we have problems, this is the only country we have. I said it more than 30 years ago. We quickly go out, we go to pray in Saudi Arabia, we go maybe to other developed countries, but this is home.

“This is where God put us and we have to stay here and pray many times per day for God to guide us so that we can leave a better country to the next generation.”

Buhari enjoined the religious leaders to continue to preach the virtues of peace, tolerance and understanding among their followers to ensure speedy transformation of the country.

Tajudeen Mohammad, chief imam of Zone 3 Juma’at Mosque, who spoke on behalf of the clerics, reiterated their determination to continue to pray for peace and rapid development of the country.

Mohammad commended the president for taking radical measures in dealing with the numerous challenges facing the country.

“Our lamentation was on the state of the nation then, the insecurity in the country. We emphasized on this table to you, sir, that you should take radical measures towards solving the malaise and other vices facing the nation,” he said.

“Today, we are happy to be here and to thank you that God has given you the opportunity in dealing with the problems.”

He said they would continue to pray for the president to enable him to tackle other socio-economic challenges being experienced by Nigerians.