Jonathan performs Israel rites amid criticism over Minister Oduah scandal Mr Jonathan’s pilgrimage to Israel has been overshadowed by the scandal in aviation ministry. President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday in Nazareth performed the symbolic candle lighting at the Church of Mount Camel, the place where the Biblical contest between Prophet Elijah and the 400 false prophets of Baal took place. Mr Jonathan also visited River Jordan, the place where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist, where he prayed before dipping his hands seven times into the river. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, said Mr Jonathan and his team also visited the Church of Annunciation, otherwise known as Basillica of the Annunciation, the place where Angel Gabriel announced to Virgin Mary of her conception. Other places visited by the team were the Holy Family Church in Nazareth, the Cana Wedding Church in Galilee and also took a boat drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and visited the Mount of Beatitudes. The president had on the 2nd Day of the pilgrimage, visited the Jerusalem Old City, Pool of Bethesda, Wailing Wall, where he prayed privately, the Tomb of Jesus Christ where he also prayed after leading the Fourteen Stations of the Cross. Mr Jonathan is expected to attend an inter- denominational prayer- fast on Sunday tagged “A day with Jesus for Nigeria in Israel”, where he will meet with pilgrims from Nigeria. The president’s visit to Israel has been overshadowed by the N255 million car purchase scandal involving the aviation minister, Stella Oduah, who is currently in Israel with Mr Jonathan. The president has come under intense criticisms for visiting Israel with Mrs Oduah, while at the same time ordering that the minister, accused of corruption and violating federal laws in the purchase, be investigated. On Sunday, opposition party, All Progressive Congress, APC, said the president risked being regarded as an accomplice to the offense by continuing to be associated with Mrs Oduah. ”No one believes the dummy that is being sold to the public, that the minister was denied access to the president in Israel. The egregious act of putting the minister on his entourage, at a time she is at the centre of a terrible scandal, calls to question the president’s sense of propriety and his commitment to the war against corruption,” the party’s spokesperson, Lai Mohammed, said in a statement. -PREMIUM TIMES
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 04:59:41 +0000
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