Sen. Kabiru Marafa, on Sunday urged opposition political parties to bury the hatchet and support President Bola Tinubu’s administration to move the country forward.
Marafa gave the advice in an interview with the State House Correspondents shortly after he paid a solidarity visit to Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that governing a complex country like Nigeria required all hands on deck to succeed.
Marafa said, ” My prayer and wish for the opposition is to forget their differences and join hands with President Bola Tinubu to move the country forward, especially given the problems we have across the nation.
” So, we need all hands on deck now. It is over. They have done what they are supposed to have done.
“The constitution gives them inherent rights to challenge the victory. But with the verdict of the apex court, the battle is over.
” Like the president said, he is going to concentrate on his job without giving anybody any opportunity to distract him.
“So, on their part, I wish they would join hands with Mr. President to move the country forward.”
The former lawmaker recalled that when he lost his re-election bid, he congratulated the person who defeated him.
He added, “And i promised that the best thing that I can give the people of Zamfara Central is to cooperate with whoever they choose to be their Senator to move the zone forward.
” Because they elected me twice and I won convincingly in the two elections. So, if now somebody says I lost, I think I should accept the fact that in any game, there are winners and there are losers.
” Yesterday, I was the winner and today, I lost. I should accept it and move forward, tomorrow is another day. So, I expect also at national level for our elders to do the same.”
Marafa said that the opposition political parties had exhausted their rights, urging, “So, it is over. Let us now move to building Nigeria. Let us now look at the plight of the masses.
” You know things are very difficult and hard, which is occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy which is a must. I was the Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Petroleum Downstream.
” So, I know what is happening in the area. Also, the rate of the dollar is adding to the difficulties in the country.