AHEAD of the for- mal handing over to the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, (rtd), on May 29, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, yesterday, urged him to see himself as President of Nigeria who should carry everyone along and not that of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

In his homily at a thanksgiving Mass ahead of the end of the 7th Senate at St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo in Abuja yesterday , Cardinal Onaiyekan appealed to politicians to reduce the political tension in the country by avoiding the winner-takes-all syndrome, just as he admonished the in- coming administration to use its campaign mantra of change to re-orientate and indeed change the attitude of Nigerians for good.

Onaiyekan who urged Buhari’s in- coming administration to take the nation as his constituency and carry everybody along in the scheme of things, said, “the President- elect should see himself as the president of Nigeria and not of All Progress Congress (APC).”

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has also urged the President-elect, to engage in genuine reconciliation as soon as his government takes charge as that would help heal the wounds that were inflicted during the election campaigns.

Senator Mark who took a stock of the unfolding political scenario in the country, however submitted that, “what the nation need now is genuine reconciliation of all sections of the country and not otherwise.”

The President of the Senate who noted that genuine reconciliation has become imperative for the in-coming Muhammadu Buhari administration, said that it would among others, help assuage the feelings of some aggrieved persons.

According to him, despite different political affiliations on which public officers were elected, “what must be paramount is the service, welfare and security of Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differences”.

Senator Mark who canvassed the need to address the insecurity situation, especially in the North East zone ravaged by Boko Haram, counselled public office seekers against desperation for power, saying “there is no need to be desperate for power, since power comes from God. Once we acknowledge this, we will not be at each other’s throat.”