FORMER Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged President-elect Bola Tinubu to be a uniting force in Nigeria.
He gave the charge in Abuja on Saturday during the presidential inauguration lecture ahead of Tinubu’s swearing-in.
Kenyatta believes since elections are over, the onus lies on Tinubu to unite every Nigerian irrespective of religion, tribe, political and other affiliations.
“The contest is now over and the hard work of building a prosperous and unified Nigeria now begins,” he said as a keynote speaker during the event.
“Upon assuming the office of president, you would be wise to transcend from the tactical politics of an election and assume your role as Nigeria’s vision bearer.
“This will demand a complete overhaul of the adversarial mindset that we as politicians are conditioned to embrace during the electoral process.
“As president, you must learn very quickly to lead those who love you and those who don’t with equal passion and commitment because now, you are the father of all.”
While the elections may have divided the country, he urged Tinubu to see himself as the “symbol of unity” meaning he should reach out to the opposition.
“You would lose nothing and gain everything by reaching out across the political, ethnic, and religious lines to those who may feel aggrieved by your victory in one way or another,” Kenyatta said. “Please, allow them to exhale and be part of your vision for a greater Nigeria.”
He listed negative ethnicity, religious discrimination, and corruption as the three enemies of nationhood but believes the lessons from across the continent will give Tinubu the courage to overcome them.
“As your fellow African, I look forward to a Nigeria that emerges from this transition ready to flex and fight for its rightful place on the global stage with both hands,” the former Kenyan leader said.
