Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerian politicians to do away with bitterness as the battle to emerge party candidate hots up.
Osinbajo made this statement when he and other presidential aspirants from different political parties were hosted to a Ramadan Iftar at the State House, Abuja.
Prof. Osinbajo, represented by a former governor of Edo, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, urged all aspirants to play politics without bitterness.
Osinbajo said the event offered Nigerians from different faiths and background the opportunity to reunite with one another to foster unity.
“It is an opportunity for aspirants from various political parties to meet one another and the lesson we should learn from here is to practise politics without bitterness as we move closer to election year.
“We should try to imbibe the spirit of oneness because at the end of the only one person is going to emerge winner of the Presidential election next year.
“So, it is not going to be do-or-die affairs, we should learn to practise politics without bitterness,” he said.
One of the APC aspirants and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, expressed gratitude to the first lady for bringing the diverse groups of Nigerians to share love and unity.
Tinubu, however, prayed for brotherliness, peace, unity and prosperity of Nigeria.
On his part, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi and APC aspirant, expressed appreciation to the first lady for bringing the presidential aspirants together to foster unity and nation cohesion.
“I must also thank you because this should be about our nation, about our patriotism, we should always place our nation above our individual interests.
“As we have aspired to lead this nation, I think that Nigerians should be able to evaluate, is not going to be promises, is going to be ticking the box.
“The opportunity given to us as leaders, what did we do with it, so, this kind of gathering is highly encouraged because it is going to douse a lot of tensions,” he said.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and PDP presidential aspirant , said the gathering was historic going by the calibre of people in attendance.
Mohammed promised to play the game with humility and mutual respect.
“I promise to do the politicking with the interest of Nigeria in my mind, respect for one another irrespective of our party differences,” he said. (NAN)
