Date: 2018-04-15

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on Saturday in Ilorin urged churches and Christian leaders in the country to keep praying for Nigeria's peace and sustainable development at all times.

He said such prayers are needed for the nation to overcome its socio- economic, political and security challenges.

Saraki stated this at the second session of the 15th synod of Anglican Diocese of Kwara state held at St. Barnabas Cathedral, Ilorin, Kwara state.

He said all Nigerians have roles to play in nation building and good governance.

According to him, "As a spiritual body, I will further urge you not to relent in your prayers and intercession for our nation as we all do not have any other place to call our own".

He said, "The National Assembly, the Senate in particular, we seek your support and the need to work together as our doors are opened for your advice and consultation. It is high time we embraced our unity in diversity, respect for one another, and eschew those tenets that will divide us".

Represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola, the Senate president also said that there is a light at the end of the tunnel if all Nigerians could work together.

"Let our message from this synod be a message of hope, love and unity. Let us celebrate that which binds us together as people and as a nation and Nigeria will be better place for all of us and generations yet to come.

"Over the years, the Christian community in Kwara state has played a vital role in sustaining the peace, unity and coexistence of our great state, hence this has helped us as inhabitants to live and relate harmoniously even in the face if socioeconomic and political challenges. Several times, our peace and unity has been tested but to the Glory of God, we are still standing tall", he said.

Also speaking, the Kwara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who said that current challenges facing the country were huge, quickly added that, "but with divine prayers, our collective will and determination, we shall definitely overcome them and make our country great".

Ahmed charged religious leaders to continue to uphold virtues of love, unity, peaceful coexistence and good neighbourliness, saying that they should encourage their followers to do same.

"We should always advise them to shun acts capable of causing disunity and religious intolerance. Without doubt, our diversity remains of one of the things that make us unique as a nation, and we must do everything within our power to promote religious and ethnic harmony, tolerance and understanding", he said.

In his charge at the synod, themed, Finishing Strong", Bishop of the diocese of Kwara, Dr. Olusegun Adeyemi, called on the federal government to find amicable and long lasting solutions to, what he called, unnecessary bloodletting confrontation in Benue state among the state government, farmers and herdsmen.

"This country belongs to all of us. The law of the land should be obeyed by all. If peace is to be long lasting, every sector of the community should be disarmed", he said.