The president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has called on politicians to maintain peace and unity irrespective of their political umbrella while maintaining that political parties were only platforms to contest elections. He was speaking on Friday in Jos at the funeral service of Late Chief Solomon Lar. Jonathan said “Politicians should always consider the interest of the nation above their personal and parochial interests once elected into positions of leadership” .

Dr Jonathan acknowledged the cordial relationship between late Soloman Lar and former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari who also worked as a team despite being in government from two opposing parties. “Let us follow with his vision; let us continue to serve our people and not our personal interests,” he said. The president said that the late People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart showed love to people and joined politics to emancipate the down trodden and not amass personal wealth. He added that the funeral was to celebrate Lar’s life as a man who lived a fulfilled life and not to mourn the deceased elder statesman.

The president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has called on politicians to maintain peace and unity irrespective of their political umbrella while maintaining that political parties were only platforms to contest elections. He was speaking on Friday in Jos at the funeral service of Late Chief Solomon Lar. Jonathan said “Politicians should always consider the interest of the nation above their personal and parochial interests once elected into positions of leadership” .

Dr Jonathan acknowledged the cordial relationship between late Soloman Lar and former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari who also worked as a team despite being in government from two opposing parties. “Let us follow with his vision; let us continue to serve our people and not our personal interests,” he said. The president said that the late People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart showed love to people and joined politics to emancipate the down trodden and not amass personal wealth. He added that the funeral was to celebrate Lar’s life as a man who lived a fulfilled life and not to mourn the deceased elder statesman.

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau in his tribute stated that Lar touched the lives of people in his over five decades in politics to the service of state and humanity. He said the deceased symbolised the convergence of religion and politics while acknowledging that the elder statesman was the father of democracy in Plateau and the nation at large. Jang said “Today we are bidding goodbye to a man of vision and peace whose legacy will never be forgotten in the annals of time”.

The Plateau state Chairman of traditional ruler’s council and Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Buba Gyang while paying his tribute stated that late Lar contributed a lot to the peace and unity of the state and Nigeria. He described Lar who held the traditional title of “Walin Langtang” as a respected traditional ruler in the state while calling on politicians to emulate him and refrain from heating the polity because of personal ambition.

The Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Most Reverend Ignatius Kaigama stated that Lar during his lifetime served God successfully and also did a lot for the oppressed. He said “He was a man of peace, dialogue and reconciliation who wanted an enduring peace for Nigeria and Nigerians”. The clergy had a message for the late politician to take on his arrival in heaven. He said “He should tell God that we thank Him for the present level of peace in the state and country. He should tell God that we want more peace in the villages.He should tell God to banish corruption from our land and our lives; we pray his legacies should endure.”

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Lay your political differences aside – President Jonathan to politicians at Solomon Lar’s funeral in Jos