Post-election: NOA visits religious leaders in Gombe, says it’s time for nation-building
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Gombe State office says it has commenced sensitisation of religious leaders in the state in a bid to address issues arising from the 2023 general elections.
NOA Director in the state, Mrs Adaline Patari, stated this on Wednesday when she led the agency’s team on a visit to the leadership of Jama’atul Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) in Gombe on Wednesday.
Patari said the build-up to the elections, the agency had embarked on sensitisation to relevant stakeholders on the need for peaceful elections and the result was positive in Gombe State and Nigeria.
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She stated that their current engagement with the religious leaders was to plead with them to assist in calming nerves through peace-oriented sermons at the grassroots.
She acknowledged the efforts of the religious leaders in the state to consolidating government’s efforts at ensuring peace coexistence amongst residents of the state.
“As you are aware during election, people stepped on toes, people had problems with each other, brother against brother, party against party and so on especially from the elections.
“Since election is a temporary phenomenon that comes and goes and afterwards, we will still be together living.
“With the wounds inflicted during the election, there is need to tell people to live in peace, forgetting the past and face nation building.
“We need to coexist and live peacefully with one another; it is now time for nation-building since elections are over, so let’s come together and make strengthen peace in Gombe State.
“Kindly help us pass this message of peace to your wide followers in the state as you have been doing, so that we can all continue to live in peace,” he said.
In an interview with journalists, Patari called on Nigerians to support those that have been elected, saying “leadership is given by God. Whoever God chooses, let’s support such so we can move forward.”
The director urged youths in the state to see the peace-building efforts of government through its relevant agencies as one that deserved their ownership.
“This is our state and nation and we have nowhere else to go if there is crisis, so let’s embrace peace always.”
She said that the engagement was a continuous one as the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had been contacted for similar engagement adding that other stakeholders would be engaged going forward.
Responding, Alhaji Salisu Muhammad appreciated NOA for the visit and reiterated his association’s commitment to peace and nation-building.
Muhammad said with the level of crisis and violence witnessed in the Northeast through insurgency, the people and stakeholders in Gombe State were now happy that peace had been restored.
He urged everyone to guard the prevailing peace in the state and country.
He also appealed to politicians who contested the just concluded elections to do everything possible to ensure peaceful coexistence in the state and country, adding that violence had never benefitted any society.
