Labour Party’s Peter Obi spoke out on Sunday against politicians exploiting religious and ethnic differences to sow division among Nigerians.
Obi, the Labour Party’s representative who finished third in the presidential election, advised against frequent mobilization of voters along religious and ethnic lines during a visit to the Muslim community in Onitsha to celebrate Sallah.
According to Obi, the true threat to the peaceful coexistence of citizens in the country is politics, not religion or tribe.
“The only thing that brings division among us is politics,” he said. “Once it is time for election, some politicians engage in divisive campaigns, but it should not be so. One of my businesses is run by a northerner from Kano, and the business is doing well.”
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Obi, who visited the Muslim community with gifts, said he avoided visiting the group during the election because it would have been perceived as a cheap political stunt.
“Nigeria is one country. I have never discriminated against anyone on the basis of religion, and I will never do that.
“No one has supported the Muslim community in Anambra like myself. This mosque was demolished at some point, but when I became governor I rebuilt it the way it is today,” he said.
Mr Obi went on to guarantee his continuous support to community members and advised them to carry on with their businesses without fear of intimidation.
“If you need me in the area of healthcare and education, feel free to call on me, because those are areas I’m very passionate about,” he added.
