Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the Muslim faithful and Nigerians to uphold the holy virtues of peace, unity and love, for the progress of Nigeria.
Obi made the call while felicitating with the Muslim faithful on their celebration of Eid-El-Maulud, which commemorates the birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammed.
He posited that the Holy Prophet Muhammed upheld the virtues of peace and love, and called on Nigerians to cherish and pursue peace and love among one another.
“I felicitate with the Muslim faithful in Nigeria on this occasion of Eid-El-Maulud in commemoration of the birthday of the holy Prophet Muhammed. May this celebration remind us of the need to love and care for one another, according to the virtues of the holy Prophet Muhammed.
“May today’s celebration bring to the birth, in our highly divided nation, the much-needed peace and unity, love and progress. May we unite in purpose and efforts, to move our nation forward, as we journey into the New Nigeria,” Obi said.
Recall that Obi served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and from June 2007 to March 2014.
In May 2022, he became the Labour Party candidate for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election, after defecting from the PDP.
Obi’s presidential campaign has been described as populist and has been noted for its support among many young Nigerians,[ who have been nicknamed “Obi-dients”
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the history of the Eid El Maulud celebration goes back to the early days of Islam when some of the Tabi‘un began to hold sessions in which poetry and songs composed to honour Muhammad were recited and sung to the crowds.
It has been said that the first Muslim ruler to officially celebrate the birth of Muhammad in an impressive ceremony was Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri. The Ottomans declared it an official holiday in 1588, known as Mevlid Kandil.
