President Bola Tinubu of the Giant of Africa has restated his commitment to promoting unity and fairness among Nigerians, assuring Christian communities in the North of his administration’s respect for all faiths.
The assurance was made on Saturday during his visit to the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) Headquarters in Jos, Plateau State, where he met with Christian leaders.
The information was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
“I have a mission to unite this country, ensure its prosperity, and we are making progress,” President Tinubu declared.
During the visit, the President paid tribute to the late Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who died at the age of 83. He described her as “a devoted mother and a humanitarian.”
Reflecting on his own family, the President said, “In our family, we have a strong Muslim background, and I married a Christian, a pastor for that matter, and I have never forced her to change her religion.”
Tinubu called on Christian leaders to maintain confidence in his administration, noting that leadership requires the fair management of religious differences for national progress.
On security, the President said his government is intensifying the campaign against terrorism and banditry. “We are defeating bandits, and we will defeat them. We will deal with them and combat the farmers-herders clashes,” he vowed.
He added that his administration is also working to strengthen the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Recalling his political ties to Jos, Tinubu said, “When we were coming here, Governor Caleb Muftwang showed me one of the bungalows, the house of Ambassador Yahaya Kwande. During the SDP days, we met there to decide the fate of MKO Abiola. Today, I am grateful that I am alive and to God be the glory to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to come here to bid farewell to the mother of the community.”
In his remarks, the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, described his late mother as a resilient woman who lived on medication for 47 years.
“My mother worked for twenty-four hours despite her health condition, supporting us and providing humanitarian assistance,” he said. He thanked the President for his confidence in his leadership and promised to uphold the trust.
Reverend Dr. Amos Mohzo, President and Spiritual Leader of COCIN, expressed appreciation to the President for his inclusiveness and for appointing Northern Christians to strategic positions, including Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Professor Yilwatda as APC Chairman.
Mohzo also appealed to the President to extend more support to conflict victims in Benue and facilitate the return of displaced Christians from Borno and Adamawa who fled to Cameroon due to insurgency.
The cleric reaffirmed the Church’s support for the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The funeral service was attended by prominent political figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, former SGF Boss Mustapha, several ministers, governors, and lawmakers.
