President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday identified peace and unity as the only panacea to the progress and development of the country.
The president disclosed this while speaking to Muslims who were led by Vice President Namadi Sambo to his residence in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to pay him the traditional Sallah homage after the Ramadan fast.
President Jonathan described the challenges the country is facing as a passing phase and called on both the Muslims and Christians to continue to pray to God to see them through.
He promised to build on the foundation laid by the founding fathers of the nation and pledged to work hard with the vice president and the cabinet to ensure that the transformation agenda of the administration is achieved.
“Like people would say, that to get a fine gold, it must pass through an oven, what we are passing through now is a price we must collectively pay,” President Jonathan said.
Mr Sambo just back from Saudi Arabia told the president that it was all about prayers for the peace and progress of Nigeria here and elsewhere.
“We have prayed for peace in Nigeria, we prayed for the development of this country, we prayed for the good health to Mr President, for the wisdom and for Almighty Allah to continue to grant you the good health, strength and wisdom to transform Nigeria into one of the most developed countries in this world,” the vice president said.
Some of the special guests include the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Tukur and the minister of the FCT, Bala Mohammed.
