Presidential candidate of the Labour Party Peter Obi on Monday visited the Muslim community in Awka, Anambra State.
The visit came a day after he went to the Central Mosque in Onitsha to celebrate Eid el-Fitri with the Muslim community in the town.
Speaking on his visit to the Awka Muslim community, Mr Obi said “When the leadership of the community contacted me with their intention to visit me at my house in Onitsha, following my visit to Onitsha Muslim Community yesterday, I decided, instead, to visit them in their mosque and fraternise with them.
“Their leadership explained that their intention had been to share some convivial moments with me as we always did in the past while I was Governor, and to encourage me on the journey to a New Nigeria, regardless of the many politically-induced falsehoods being peddled against me.
“They expressed gratitude that even though they had wished to visit me, I opted to visit them instead, at the mosque and celebrate Eid el Fitr with them.”
He added the leaders of the community recalled that he never failed to celebrate their special with them when he was governor of Anambra state, a ritual he said continued after he left office.
“They also recalled that during my administration many of their children received academic scholarships and many Community members undertook state-sponsored pilgrimage to Mecca.
“The members decried the many lies and fake news told by traducers to tarnish my image in the North, considering how I have helped their community to grow.
“I appreciated their love and support, and stressed the need for the unity of Nigeria, while urging Nigerians to resist any attempt to divide the nation along religious and tribal lines.
“I further underlined the need for Nigerians to continue to love and support one another for the realisation of a new and better nation. I presented my material and cash gifts to them,” Obi concluded his statement.
