Jonathan to politicians: No need to kill, maim if your goal is Nigeria’s development News Politics Religion Top Stories December 28, 2014 president-Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has once again admonished politicians in the country to watch their words and actions, if indeed their aim for being in politics is to build and not to destroy the country. Jonathan spoke at the Christ Apostolic Church, Area 1, Durumi, Abuja, where he joined worshipers on Sunday, in the company of his mother, Madam Eunice, Chief of Staff. Brig. Gen. Jones Arogbofa, Chief Physician, Dr. Fortune Fiberesima, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, among others. The President Bill Clinton t, who said next year would be turbulent because of the elections, however expressed confidence that God will see the nation through. He said: “Next year is a tempting year for us. Election year in third world countries is always a turbulent year with all kinds of predictions. “I however believe that the God who brought us to this level will see us through. “All that I will request of you is to continue to pray for us politicians, myself and other politicians from all political parties, for God to guide us in our utterances and what we do so that we will not sacrifice the lives of Nigerians because of our ambitions. “Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. Pray to God to give us that wisdom and mind to make sure we conduct ourselves in a way that will not set the country ablaze because of our own personal ambition. “There are so many good Nigerians that can hold the offices we are occupying or aspiring to occupy, it is by privilege of God that we are here in positions to ask for the mandates of Nigerians. “None of us should begin to think that he is the best person to be anywhere from state houses of assembly to the President. There are a thousand and one Nigerians that are super qualified more than those people who are even aspiring to occupy offices. “Pray for us that God should give us the wisdom to conduct ourselves in a manner that at the end of the day, this country will triumph. “The development of Nigeria is what all of us want. If every aspirant has the mind to develop the people, then you do not need to kill or maim people to get there. “You do not need to kill the people you want to develop in order to get to the office you want except if you are aspiring for that office for a different reason. “If the idea is to help the people, grow the economy and make the people happy, you won’t want to kill, you won’t want to maim or burn down houses, vehicles and property. “Human beings may see things differently but God can guide us”, he said. Jonathan who admitted that but for the fervent prayers of Nigerians the situation would have been worse off, assured that his administration which has delivered on critical sectors like agriculture, roads, rail, power among others, will not relent in working for Nigerians to improve their daily lives. The President who said he uses the opportunity when the Aso Rock Villa Chapel is closed for the festive period, to fellowship with other Christians around the city of Abuja, regretted that the challenges facing Nigeria were increasing rather than abetting. “I am pleased to be here with you. One of the reasons I go round churches, at least in Abuja, is to use the unique opportunity to thank my brothers and sisters for the prayers you have been having for the country, the government and for me. “We are facing a lot of challenges now as a nation. The pastor has said it all. The challenges did not start today but somehow, instead of abating, the problems started increasing for one reason or the other. “But I am convinced that it would have been worse than this but for your prayers. With the prayers you continue to offer to God, God will see us through. “I always say that whenever I read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, particularly the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land, the kind of challenges they faced; the confrontation, the wars up to the days of King David, people were always fighting and you will ask why the children of God will continue to be fighting. “I believe that what is even happening to us is not even as serious as sometimes the passages we read in the Bible and God was able to see them through. “The God we believe in will see us through. What I will request from you is to continue to pray for us. “For me and members of my team, in spite of the challenges, we will continue to do our best. “As a nation, we have not reached where we want to go, definitely not. But we are coming up with a number of policies. Those who are taking pain to look at what we are doing will agree with us that if we progress as a nation steadily in this manner, in the next four or five years, this country will be a better place. “Only a few days back, the Vice President was in Port Harcourt to flag off the Eastern railway. The Western one moving from Lagos to Kano has been running. We will start using the modern one from Kaduna to Abuja by the first quarter of next year and the one from Port Harcourt. “When we were young, there were railways. But I believe most of our children of about 30 years only see railway as cartoons in the television but now, they are seeing it. “We relied on agriculture before the oil boom or doom and all that died. We are reviving it and the whole world has appreciated that we are moving forward in agriculture. “When they start something, people do not see the benefits immediately. We know that as a nation, we have a lot of challenges in terms of getting jobs for our young graduates and we have set up a lot of programmes that can bring job opportunities for our young men. “The result may not be obvious immediately but God willing, job opportunities will continue to increase and many more young people will be engaged. The President who said despite the dwindling prices oil, Nigeria’s economy was not in danger as the National Economic Team was working to ensure just like the nation survived 2008, 2009, when the oil price got down, the nation will survive again this time around. “We have talked about the drop in global price of oil. Of course, if there is a drop in oil price, it will affect us in one way or the other. We tell our people to bear with us. It has happened before in 2008, 2009 that was almost about $40, we survived as a nation. “This time, by all predictions, it will not even go as low as that, we will surely survive it. The economic team is working very hard to stabilise it and we believe that although there may be temporary inconveniences, it will definitely not bring the economy down,” he said. In his welcome address, the President, CAC Worldwide, Pastor Abraham Olakunle Akinosun, said Nigeria was one of those nations in the world truly loved and blessed by God and it is evident in its human and natural resources, adding “no wonder Nigeria is described as Canaan of Africa”. Represented by Pastor Michael Olatunde, Chairman of the CAC FCT District Coordinating Council, he said Christians have a duty as commanded in the the Bible to continue to intercede for the nation and her leaders at the helms of affairs. He said God’s love for the nation was evident, adding that God chose Jonathan to lead the country to the promised land, but “appointed agents of Satan” were trying to make the country ungovernable. “Some of them are stiff-necked people, vile people, liberal and self centred people. They don’t want to know God which makes them not to fear God. They have one desire only: to amass wealth and power by hook or crook. “Such people forget that whoever gets to any position has actually been enthroned by God. “Mr President, the Lord has identified and sent you to re-build our nation, Nigeria. This, you have already started doing. “My candid advice is that you should focus on the great work of the Nigerian project which God has committed into your steady hands. “You should not allow your vision to be derailed by unnecessary distractions that are bound to occur in the process of your stewardship,” he said. He urged the president to remain courageous, prayerful and rely only on God. “God has found you to rule this nation and some people have done all they could to make this nation ungovernable. ”The Lord that sent you to rebuild Nigeria and you have started but however focus on the project Nigeria don’t be distracted. “It is commendable that you belief in divinity, you delegation to Israel is a demonstration of your rear faith in God. Rely totally on Christ, read your Bible and pray fervently, the God who sent you will never abandon you. God has promised that his presence will go with you and will give you rest like He did the Israelite. God will never leave you as long as you do what is right. “Call on the Lord who choose you and you didn’t choose yourself, He will be with you. “If you rely solely on God He will never abandon you, all the walls of Jericho shall fall before you, the rea sea shall be parted, the Assyrian army will sleep and will not wake up. One of the high points of the service was the presentation of a symbolic “Sword of God” to the president by Pastor Olatunde on behalf of the church.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:08:57 +0000
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