President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has, once again, assured Nigerians that the hardship and pains they have been made to go through as a result of his policies and reforms will not be in vain as they will have cause to smile sooner than they think.

Tinubu, who gave the assurance in his message to the Muslim faithful on the occasion of the 2024 Eid Al-Adha, said the citizens should see the religious celebration as a means of sacrifice, faith and obedience to the will of the Almighty.

In the statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu urged the Muslim faithful to reflect on the essence of the occasion while he prayed that Allah accept their supplications and acts of obedience.

He emphasized that the sacrifices and great expectations of citizens will not come to nought.

“President Bola Tinubu celebrates with the Muslim Ummah on the joyous occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, an event that denotes sacrifice, faith, and obedience to the will of the Almighty,” the statement said.

“The President congratulates the Muslim faithful and prays that Allah accepts their supplications and acts of obedience.

“The President emphasizes that sacrifice and duty are essential ingredients to nation-building, noting that it takes collective purpose, will, and action to bring about great change.

“President Tinubu also urged Muslims to pray for peace in the country while celebrating with their families.

“He calls on citizens to spare a prayer for the nation for continuous peace and stability while working according to purpose in promoting unity, peace, and progress.

“The President acknowledges the sacrifices that Nigerians have made in the past one year as his administration sets the nation on a firm pedestal of growth and development.”

The statement also assured Nigerians of the positive outcomes of the President’s reforms to ease the current hardships Nigerians are experiencing.

“President Tinubu affirms that the sacrifices and great expectations of citizens will not come to nought as already propitious outcomes are beginning to manifest with the economy strengthening and vibrancy returning to critical sectors.

“The President reassures Nigerians that his administration is prioritizing their physical, social, and economic security and will not relent on this noble endeavour.

“President Tinubu wishes Nigerians happy Sallah celebrations.”

Zambia’s apex court, the Constitutional Court, has reserved ruling on a petition challenging the eligibility of former President Edgar Lungu to stand for future elections to July 8 following a request by the government not to dismiss the case as demanded by his lawyers.

The State which was represented by Attorney-General, Mulilo Kabesha, Solicitor-General, Marshal Muchende, and other advocates, had argued that the petition filed by a Lusaka resident, Michelo Chizombe, had not been finalised, contrary to Lungu’s claims.

During the hearing of the case on Friday, the State also sought a review of an earlier decision declaring Lungu eligible, contending that the matter was neither finalised nor time-barred and therefore, the petition should be heard on its merits.

Lungu’s legal team led by Makebi Zulu and Jonas Zimba, who had requested for the case to be dismissed, questioned the motive behind the repeated petitions, urging the court to end what they described as an abuse of process.

They further argued that Lungu should not be repeatedly summoned to court over the same eligibility issue, noting the recent summon marked the fifth time the issue had been brought before the court.

“A judicial decision must be accepted as correct. They have refused to accept your decision, meaning they had recourse to the decision and simply do not agree with you. If this is allowed, there will be no end to litigation,” Makebi told the court.

However, Chizombe’s counsel, Michael Moono, who countered Lungu’s lawyers, contended that the issue could not be “res judicata” as the petitioner was not a party to the four previous petitions.