•To represent Nigeria at Global Peace Council
President Goodluck Jonathan has said having been part of a process to strengthen Nigeria’s weak points that have led to divisions and conflicts, he was ready to implement the report of the National Conference. The President said his concern for unity informed him conceding defeat to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 election.
He said that he took the decision because he would not be party to the disintegration of the country that he had had the privilege to rule.
The President said he would dedicate the rest of his life to peace and unity across the African continent in particular and the world in general.
He urged the incoming Buhari administration to appreciate the contributions of all Nigerians to the confab report.
Jonathan stated this yesterday in Abuja while hosting a delegation of Universal Peace Federation led by a Constitution lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who conferred on him, the Peace Loving Global Citizen award. They appointed him as Nigeria’s Respresentative at Global Peace Council to replace Nigeria’s former head of Interim National Government (ING), Chief Earnest Shonekan.
Jonathan, who said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Vice President Namadi Sambo should also share in the encomiums showered on him, said only vindictive persons would want to hold on to power at the cost of people’s lives, adding that he was not created that way.
He said: “We are pleased with your comments and that you have come to identify with us and of course, the offers and the awards are marvellous. To step into the big shoes of Chief Shonekan, I hope my tiny legs will fit in. You have also given me a platform to go and interface with the world. We will look at how it will go.
“I took that decsion (conceding defeat) because I told people around me that no matter the ambition anybody has, you must have a nation first; and I use to say that even if I should be the President for the next 25 years, I will not be a happy person if so many Nigerians are killed because of me.
“One thing is to hold office, another thing is to be happy to satisfy your conscience. Yes, there are different human beings, if you look at the behaviour of some people, even among siblings of the same family, some of them could turn out to be Imams or pastors; while some of them turn out to be armed robbers. So, if persons criminal are or somebody who is very vindictive, somebody who by nature doesn’t care that people are dying; then of course, even if half your country men and women are dying, you may celebrate it.
“But fortunately for me, God didn’t create me that way. And I cannot take it. So, I believe that for us to hold any office we want to, we must have a nation. Everybody knew about the prediction of Nigeria disintegrating, and anything could have made that prediction come true; afterall, we fought a civil war for more than three years before as a nation.
“We have our challenges, of course, we had a national conference; the idea of the conference is to look at these weak cleverges we have in this country. And we had just finished that conference and we were thinking about how to implement it so that Nigeria will become stronger and more united as a nation. I cannot be a party to the disintegration of the country.
“But I’m quite pleased with what has happened, we have a country; our country will be more united. I believe and pray that the incoming government should appreciate the contributions of everybody and see how we run Nigeria as a country that belongs to everybody, for all citizens; irrespective of political persuasion or creed; so that is what I stand for,” the President said.
Ozekhome, who spoke earlier, poured encomiums on Jonathan, stating that he merited the awards in view of his commitment to peace and stability as demonstrated in his quick acceptance of defeat in the March 28 presidential election.
He described Jonathan as a hero, saying that he had “snatched victory from defeat” by conceding defeat to his opponent even before the final result was announced.
Ozekhome said the out-going President had made Nigeria to stand tall in the Comity of Nations by that singular action.
Accordingly, he submitted that Jonathan and Sambo would return to Otuoke and Kaduna country homes respectively as heroes and proud men.
“Today, not just yourself but Nigeria as a country stands tall in the community of association, not just because of your achievements but conceding defeat and calling the winner even before the final result was announced. That singular act made you to snatch victory from defeat.
“Your act was heroic, there is no question about that. As we were told power corrupts and corrupts absolutely. But Mr President even when you are in charge of the security appratus, calling to concede defeat, shows you as extraordinary human being.
“Before and during the campaign, you continued to say that your ambition is not worth any blood of Nigerian. Many felt it was just a mantra, but that when it comes to the nitty gritty, you won’t do it, but you did it. I was celebrated in my recent trips abroad because of what you did. They came to me and said what your President did was uncommon and unnatural.
“Mr. President and Vice president, go back to your states proud men that you came, you saw and conquered. Mr President will be very fair to you. You are perhaps the greatest democrat Nigeria has ever had.
“In your smiles and humility, Nigeria has returned from precipice. It was to your tent oh, Israel, many thought that that prediction that Nigeria will break up will happened but God used you, touched you and made you to deliver Nigeria from that precipice and we are very grateful”, he said.
Jonathan rejects PDP BoT chairman offer
• Haliru Bello emerges acting chairman
President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the the chairmanship of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The board instead, has appointed a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello, in acting capacity for two or three months, at a meeting of the BoT attended by President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Bello, who had acted as national chairman of the party was said to be the only person nominated for the position at the meeting.
Recall that when the BoT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih resigned last week, he had stated that he expected Jonathan to take over.
But briefing State House correspondents at the end of a meeting at about 11 p.m on Monday, the board’s secretary, Senator Wali Jibrin, said Jonathan declined the offer.
He said at the end of the period, a substantive chairmen would be elected for the board as well as the national party chairman, following the resignation of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.
Bello in a chat with newsmen, said that his preoccupation would be to reposition the party in a manner that it would remain the largest in Africa.
The meeting, which started at about 9.05pm and also had Vice President Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, in attendance.
Others who attended included Chief Anenih; Acting National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Prof. Jerry Gana, and Senator Hope Uzodinma, PDP Women National Leader, Kema Chikwe, former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu and the Chief of Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa.
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