Nigeria’s unity paramount- Jonathan

Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, appealed to Nigerians to see the unity of Nigeria as a paramount issue that must not be toyed with.

Jonathan made the appeal in Abuja while playing host to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Former Ministers’ Forum.

He said: “The unity of the country is paramount, we cannot develop as a nation if there is no unity. No matter how people demonstrate, no president can do magic if there is so much tension in the land”.

The former President noted that no country can develop under an atmosphere of insecurity and threats to its existence.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to live peacefully with one another, adding that it would help to build the nation’s economy by attracting more investors.

“Immediately there is a sense of insecurity in any country, investors will pull back and when investors pull back, then the economy will drop. What improves the economy is confidence and what makes investors have that confidence is peace. We should all pray and work towards that peace and that is the only way we can grow the economy as a nation,” Jonathan stated.

He also commended the former ministers for forming the forum and for finding time to celebrate Sallah with his family.

The former president said that he was elated for seeing the former ministers coming together under a unique platform.

“We should begin to reduce the cleavages and fault lines and form a political body that will look at things with national interest, “Jonathan said.

He, however, congratulated all Muslim brothers and sisters in the country for the successful completion of Ramadan fast and the Sallah celebration.

In his remarks, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, the chairman of the forum, said that the delegation comprises former ministers from 1999 to 2015.

Turaki said that the visit was to avail them the opportunity to share with Jonathan issues of national interest.

“Nigerians are beginning to appreciate the efforts you made in moving this country forward.

“Nigerians are still getting more aware of the enormous sacrifice you made to ensure that Nigeria remained together as one indivisible and indissoluble nation, “he said.

Also, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, described Jonathan as a great leader who had encouraged many Nigerians.

“You still have so much to offer this country. The future is great for us, for PDP and this country,” he said.