Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said that
the Senate will not make laws that interfere with the religious creeds of
Nigerians.
Saraki, according to a statement by his Chief Press
Secretary, Sanni Onogu, disclosed this when the Council of Ulama (Muslim
clerics) in Nigeria visited him in Abuja.
“I say that again, whatever laws we pass here, will be
respectful to the religious beliefs of our people. We will not do anything that
will in anyway go against that.
“We are trying our best to ensure that we pass laws that
will make direct positive impact on Nigerians. I want to also use this
opportunity to assure you that whatever laws we pass here, will be sensitive to
the religious values of the whole Nigeria”, Saraki said.
The Senate President also commended the Council for uniting
all Islamic scholars under one umbrella, a development he said has contributed
immensely to the stability and progress of not only the Islamic religion but
that of the nation.
He expressed the commitment of the Senate to make the
country better by passing laws that make positive impact in the life of the
citizenry.
He further stated that the Senate is working hard to
replicate the successes achieved in the fight against terrorism, in the fight
against corruption and the revival of the economy.
“We thank God for the success we have made in the fight
against corruption and I am sure that the progress will be extended to the
economy in order to put this country in a better place,” he said.
On his part, the Chairman of the Council of Ulama in
Nigeria, Sheik Abdullahi Abubakar Tureta, commended the Senate President for
his patience and perseverance in the face of political adversity since his
emergence as Senate President.
“We praise you for that and we are not surprised looking at
your family background and we urge you to continue to be patient and persevere
as the Almighty Allah promised to be with the patient one,” Tureta said.
Reminding the Senate President about the burden of
leadership, Tureta said the responsibility for the welfare of all Nigerians has
been placed on both the executive and the legislative arm of government.
“If the two of you cooperate, everything will go well with
the country, but if you work at cross-purposes, only the Almighty God knows
what will befall the country.”
On his part, the Secretary General of the Council, Professor
Mohammed Sadiq Abubakar, lauded the cooperation between the Senate and the Executive
in the fight against terrorism in the country.
He noted that the cooperation contributed in no small
measure in defeating terrorists and insurgents in the North East.
Abubakar urged the two arms of government (executive and
legislature), to further strengthen their relationship.
“We are happy about the fence mending and reconciliation
efforts of the President with the Senate. I was happy when I read that the
Senate President in a newspaper interview said that there is no quarrel between
the executive and the Senate.
The Council of Ulama of Nigeria, he said, was established 31
years ago to unite the Ulamas from all the Islamic sects for the purpose of
stability within adherents of the Islamic religion and the nation in general,
saying that, “our membership is drawn from all Islamic sects without any form
of discrimination.”
By Wale Odunsi
