President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said he did not expect Nigerians
to shower praises on him while still in office.
He said it was normal that public office holders would only be commended
after leaving office by the time their achievements were compared with those of
their predecessors.
Jonathan spoke while granting audience to a delegation from his home
state, Bayelsa, led by Governor Seriake Dickson.
But the President’s wife, Patience, was again absent during the visit of
the Bayelsa delegation.
Jonathan, however, told members of the delegation that his wife would
have joined him to receive them but for an urgent trip she made outside Abuja.
He said Patience left Abuja in the morning for their home state to
oversee the preparation for the traditional marriage of his cousin’s daughter
holding in Bayelsa State on Saturday.
He said he would also be travelling for the event on Friday and return
to Abuja on Sunday.
Members of the delegation led by Dickson were in the Presidential Villa,
Abuja to felicitate with the President on the Christmas and New Year
festivities.
The President said notwithstanding the various challenges facing the
country, he would do his best to make his people proud.
He said, “I always say that I will not even expect praises now because
hardly do people praise serving leaders, it is when you leave. When you leave,
people will begin to compare what you have done over the period vis-a-vis what
others have done.
“Probably that is the time some people will begin to say good things
about you. But I will do my best to make sure that we do change things. We are
trying to create an enabling environment for our economy to thrive irrespective
of the challenges we are having in the petroleum sector and the security
challenges we have.
“I will do my best so that by the time I will leave, you will be able to
say that when our son was there, he served the country well so that one day,
another son of Bayelsa may be given another opportunity to serve Nigerians.”
Jonathan observed that it had become the norm worldwide for people to
lambast their leaders, especially on the social media.
He regretted that people were using different things that had been
created by people’s knowledge for negative purposes.
He cited an example of dynamite, saying the inventor regretted when he
realised the destructive purposes people have turned the item to.
The President added, “These days, there are all kind of stories. It is
all over the world, leaders are being lambasted, especially with the social
media now.
“People use what knowledge had created for negative reasons. Just as I
was told that the person who invented the dynamite regretted that invention
because he thought he was coming up with something to solve human problem, but
when he got to know about the level of destruction: human lives that are being
blown up because of explosion, the man regretted that invention.
“What is supposed to be used for the common good was turned to negative
purposes.”
Jonathan reiterated his position that 2015 would be a challenging year
for the country because of the general elections.
“The new year is full of challenges for Nigerians because of the early
elections. Everywhere will be hot from January 2,” he declared.
Earlier, Dickson had told the President on behalf of the delegation that
the people of the state were proud of his service to the nation.
The governor added that the purpose of the visit was to show the world
that they were with Jonathan in actions and in prayers.
Dickson said, “We are proud of your service. We are here to show
solidarity and to let everybody know that your people are always with you in
deed and in prayers.
“It is in the spirit of Christmas that we are here on behalf of the
people of the state to wish you, your family and government compliments of the
season and wish you victorious 2015.
“We bring you prayers and message of solidarity. We thank all Nigerians
for the support and prayers they have been giving you.
“We are proud of the service you are giving to our country and we
appreciate your transformation agenda.”
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Politics
Nigerians will remember you as the worst thing to have happened to leadership in this country. Under you , arms was getting to the hands of Ijaw millant with ease., corruption became more institutionalized , divisive governance was introduced , deception in govenance became obvious. GEJ , you are a colossal failure
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