President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said he would never be a part of any action that can lead to Nigeria’s disintegration.
He said the predictions that the country would cease to exist in 2015 could have come true if he had not taken the decision to concede defeat in the March 28 Presidential election.
Looking back, he said he was happy he took that decision because Nigerians still have a country to call their own.
Jonathan spoke while receiving members of the Universal Peace Foundation who were in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to confer on him an award of Peace-Loving Global Citizen.
He said it was his commitment to the unity of the country that made his administration to put together the National Conference in order to address the issues that tend to divide Nigerians.
The President said, “Everybody knew about the predictions (that Nigeria will cease to exist by 2015). Anything could have made those predictions become true. After all, we fought a civil war for about three years before as a nation.
“We have our challenges, the idea of that National Conference is to look at these weak cleavages we have in this country.
“We just finished that conference and were thinking of how to implement its recommendations so that Nigeria will become a stronger and more united nation.
“I cannot be a party to the disintegration of the country. I am quite pleased with what has happened. We have a country, the country will be more united.
“We only pray that the incoming government should appreciate the contributions of everybody and see how we can run Nigeria as a country that belongs to everybody: all citizens, irrespective of political affiliations or creeds.”
Jonathan said Vice President Namadi Sambo who ran on the same ticket with him and the Peoples Democratic Party that provided the platform for them should also share in the encomium being showered on him.
While saying if he had won the election, Sambo too would have remained in office, the President said by that singular act, the two of them would be packing out of their offices on Friday.
He said he took the decision to concede defeat because he had always been telling those around him that there must be a nation before individuals can talk of ambitions.
He added that it has also been his position that even if he would be the President for 25 years, he would not be happy if Nigerians are killed because of him.
He said it was one thing to hold office, and it was another thing to be happy and be satisfied with one’s conscience.
“Yes, there are different human beings. If you look at the behaviours of people, even among siblings, some of them could turn to be imams and pastors, while some will be armed robbers.
“Even somebody that has that kind of criminal intention or he is very vindictive or who by nature does not care if people are dying, even if half of his countrymen and women die for him to be a President, he will celebrate it.
“But for me, God did not create me that way and I cannot fit in. I believe that for us to hold any office that we want to, we must have a nation,” he added.
Jonathan added that the years he had spent in office had given him an experience that no school could give.
He reinstated his position that once he leaves office, he would dedicate the remaining part of his life to issues that will bring unity and peace to the country.
He urged Nigerians to commit themselves to the strengthening of those things that can unite the country rather than things that can further divide it. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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I think Asari Dokunbo and Co dey hear what their dummy and Mugu president said. Better talk to your militants and Igbos people
ReplyDeleteJonadaft please leave,just go... Let's arrange our self and see how we can make this country a better place
ReplyDeleteStop the insult pls. Can't you Nigerians send a message without insults? Oh God!
ReplyDelete...but divided we stand....!
ReplyDeleteThis is nonsense. My questions are- was there an election in Nigeria on 28th March, 2015? Were there results and were those results annonouned? Was there a winner/a looser? If there is a looser, do the loosers accept defeat or do they concede defeat? Does someone who wrote exam and fail concede failure or accept failure? Truth is that the student had every opportunity to study and pass his exams, but he was looking for a lee way so as to manoeuvre his way to passing the exams. This could be likened to someone who has every resources at his disposal as a leader but chose not to do anything meaningful. The end result is failure. Please, Let's be guided by our utterances.
ReplyDeleteI stand to see what buhari has got to offer Nigerians.
ReplyDeleteI stand to see what your roving President-elect has got to offer Nigerians
ReplyDeleteThis is another Rent-A-Crowd Award.
ReplyDeletePLEASE LET US STOP THIS IMAGE LAUNDERING SHENANIGANS!!!!!
Frankly speaking, unless someone is indeed totally myopic and a product of a totally insane and traumatised society where the biblical reprobate mind rules rather than the awareness of Godliness, NOBODY (and I repeat NOBODY) in his/her sane mind will label GEJ as being peace loving.
Look Nigerians, enough with this stupid talk already. It is going to be condescending to Nigeria for Jonathan and his cohort to think that he is a hero for conceding defeat?! That is the most irresponsible talk from anybody ever. The good people on Nigeria withdrew their mandate from him period!
It's obvious that our dear CiC is yet to grasp the true meaning/understanding of good, acceptable, effective, performing, diligent, humble, emphatic and honest leadership. That is why they are still busy attempting to launder his totally destroyed and irreparable image.
It is totally absurd to talk as if Nigeria is GEJ's private property. Why on earth would he not concede defeat? Ofcourse, he conceded defeat because he had no choice. It was obvious that he had lost. Thank God we won't endure his endless, unfulfilled promises, impunity, deceit, cluelessness, visionless and "shoelessnes" for another four years. Jonathan is not bigger than Nigeria. Any untoward act of disapproval would have been met with the wrath of the people and the repercussions will solely lie on him and not Nigerians.
If GEJ was peace loving then he would not have honoured dubious events/processes/elections namely;
1) Governors Forum Election Saga that eventually led to the demise of PDP/GEJ and strengthened the opposition.
2) Rivers State Assembly boggy speaker impeachment and honouring the boggy replacement speaker.
3) Rivers State Judiciary stalemate even with the clear Constitutional Empowerment of the Governor to appoint State Chief Justice.
4) Encouragement of a docile AGF who was virtually sleeping throughout the administration.
5) The unprecedented corruption and governance atrocities GEJ encouraged are known and are obvious disgrace/embarrassment to our dear Nation Nigeria, e.g. Drug Baron Burugi Kashamu, Ekiti Gate Tapes, Corruption is not same as Stealing, etc.
6) It is common knowledge that these are the key attributes of GEJ. GEJ encouraged pathological liars, murderers, wicked schemes (GEJ postponed the election because he knew he will lose woefully, and now it has happened). GEJ encourage evil (thank God for the way Prof. Jega handled Elder Orubebe, their evil scheme backfired and GEJ was forced to quickly concede defeat knowing fully well that he can never be exonerated from the shameless manner (which for the records, GEJ has never officially rebuked to this day) that Elder Orubebe portrayed our dear Nation Nigeria. GEJ encouraged false witnesses who pours out lies and above all he stirred up dissension among Nigerians who are supposed to see themselves as brothers (... in brotherhood we are supposed to stand.).
GEJ was snookered into quickly conceding defeat after the worldly acknowledged public shameful behaviour.
All glory, honour and thanks to Almighty God for the wisdom, composure and manner in which Prof. Jega handled Elder Orubebe, making the evil scheme of GEJ and PDP to seriously backfire.
Let it be known to our outgoing CiC that, all well-meaning and sane Nigerians as we speak are still waiting for GEJ (either in his private or official capacity) to openly dissociate himself from the National embarrassment and indictment of the Ekitigate Tapes.
9) It is also a common knowledge that GEJ encouraged and rewarded evil doers and workers of iniquity.
10) Etc.
In conclusion, it is only a foolish and unduly sentimental Nigerian that will believe that GEJ ever had anything to offer Nigerians and Nigeria at large.
May the good Lord in His infinite mercies complete the deliverance of Nigerians and Nigeria at large in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen.
anonymous 9.59pm may God have mercy on for using such word on out going President / Igbos. If u can be sincere to ur self among Igbos and ur pple who eat violent let food? mind u words
ReplyDeleteto avoid Gods judgement upon u and ur generation.
You Should know that, Igbos are all rebels. They are very dubious people in Nigeria. Why can't they fight for their abandoned properties in Rivers. They are fake Jews in Nigeria, even they don't resemble Jews. They don't where they come from. Just beating around the bush. They brought 419, kidnapping, fake all products, drug barons etc.
Delete