Abuja – The leadership of political parties in the country have been urged to work toward fostering the unity of Nigeria.

The call is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the All Political Parties and Stakeholders Summit which held in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the communiqué, political parties and stakeholders must act and speak with one voice and as one nation.

“The political parties must pool resources to forestall breaching national security, fight insurgency and terrorism and complementing the efforts of the government.

The communiqué was signed by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar who chaired the summit.

The representatives of APGA, PDP, LP, APC, IPAC and the INEC chairman, the National Security Adviser to the President, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki also signed the document.

The Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs Ben Obi also signed the communiqué.

The communiqué said that “once a person is elected and sworn in as president, he or she becomes the symbol, heart and soul of the nation.

“He or she must therefore be accorded the honour, the protection and respect of all devoid of partisan politics and primordial sentiments.”

It called on political parties to recognise and acknowledge the immense responsibility imposed on them in this democratic dispensation.

The communique stated that inter party collaboration should not be the old game of aggrandisement, adding that national stability depends on democratic consolidation.

It urged political parties to ensure that the process of leadership succession and leadership recruitment should be a conscious effort to bring in the best to lead.

“Incumbents should not insist on choosing their successors and forcing their choices on the electorate,” it said.

The communiqué urged all registered political parties to continue to meet their obligations toward the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and strengthen its internal dynamics.

“Political Parties should also empower IPAC to remain a platform for constant interaction among political actors and political parties in Nigeria, “it said.

– NAN