The Supreme Head of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria, Prophet Solomon Alao, has urged the Federal Government to be more circumspect in dealing with the opposition parties and their presidential candidates.

In his Easter message at the weekend, he advised the government against arresting the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, but rather appease those who lost the elections and assured them of getting justice in court, instead of threatening to arrest and charge them for treason.

He said: “The Federal Government must tread softly in dealing with Obi and Datti and stop the threat of arresting and prosecuting them for treason. If it does that, I can see the scenario of 1964 playing out again and that will be very devastating for the country.

“We have not seen enough persuasion and conviction from the government and the ruling party to convince the opposition parties and their candidates that they will not interfere in the judicial process and this is the time to do that.”

The clergyman also advised the president-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to be magnanimous in victory and warn his spokesperson to stop overheating the polity.

The cleric, who said that the country had never been polarised like this, urged Obi to warn his supporters to watch their utterances, what they post on the social media and stop creating enemies for him, that no matter the level of provocation, LP supporters should know that there is a limit to political agitation in a democratic setting and they should know that the struggle is not against military government but a constitutionally-recognised government.

“No Nigerian should advocate for the return of military government or interim government, which has been declared illegal by the court. But the judiciary has a role to play in stabilising the country by being impartial in adjudicating over political cases before them,” he advocated.

Alao, who noted that the essence of Easter was to show love and sacrifice, which was practically displayed by Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to redeem mankind from eternal condemnation, said if Jesus Christ could do that, there is no sacrifice that is too much from anybody to save this country from sliding into the precipice.

He, therefore, urged religious leaders to continue to pray for the peace and stability of Nigeria.