Jonathan to politicians: Watch yourutterances

Ahead of 2015 general elections,
President Goodluck Jonathan has a word
of advice for politicians: watch your
utterances.
The President said such comments are
overheating the polity, noting that those
politicians do not mean well for the
country.
Speaking at a special Christmas service
held at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in
Maitama, Abuja, he stressed that
politicians should embark on issues-
based campaigns.
Jonathan said, “As a nation, we have our
challenges, every day, we hear what is
happening to some parts of the country,
including Abuja, bombing by terrorists
and extremists. These are temporary
things, surely God will see us through. It
will surely, come to an end the way it
started.
“All what I request from you is to continue
to pray for the country as you have been
paying. Pray for the victims of terror, we
have widows, widowers and orphans,
some children are just few days old and
their parents have been killed, so what is
their fate? Their communities shattered,
people have to run to different places, but
that is the handiwork of the devil. As a
nation, we will pull through.
“I thank our religious leaders, Christian
leaders and all Christians who constantly
pray for this country, especially for me
and my family and the government for us
to go through. The challenges of the
moment, but for your prayers, probably
something else would have happened.
“God bless this country, even with the
challenges, one would have expected the
economy to collapse completely and of
course, if that happens, people working
with government and some of the people
with the private sector would not have
been receiving salaries or anything. God
is with us and in spite of what is
happening, we are forging ahead and we
will pull through.
“I re-assure you that we will continue to
do more. It is a week to the end of the
year, next year, from January, we will see
all political actors campaigning and from
the middle of February to the end, we will
have the elections at the various levels.
“If a politician wants to take power
whether at the House of Assembly level, at
the House of Representatives or Senate or
governor or president, you don’t sow seed
of discord and enmity because of course,
it will consume you”, he warned.
The President also urged elder statesmen
who have served the country as either
Heads of State or Chief Justice of Nigeria
to utilise their constitutional roles in the
National Council of State meetings, and
advise the government of the day with
their wealth of experience, rather using
the media to lampoon and rubbish the
system.
“As a nation, we know that if anybody
who has the privilege of being a governor
of a state after serving, he becomes a
senior citizen of that state, it is your duty
to assist in-coming government.
“For us who are looking for various
offices, we should just talk about what we
can do for Nigerians, you can market
yourself, but not to sow the seed of
discord.
“For a politician to stand up, who is even
a Christian to say that if he fails election,
he will form a parallel government. What
makes him feel that he must win the
election, even me as a serving president,
what makes me feel I must win the
election, no matter what I think I am?
Nigerians will decide who will govern
them at the state level, or federal level,
state assemblies or the National
Assembly in terms of the federal
constituencies and the senatorial districts.
“It is not for you who is looking for the
office to think that you are the best person
to be there. Are you the most qualified
person even by certificate? Are you telling
me your certificate is larger than that of
others or you even have more
certificates? It is the chance of the people
and the will of God.
“So, let me use this opportunity to plead
with you to continue to pray for us that
God should forgive us our sins and that is
the only way to move this nation forward.
God should give us the wisdom to do
what is right.
“All of us who by divine and the will of
God are still holding sensitive offices, God
should give us the wisdom and the
courage to do what is right for our
people”, he said.
Jonathan thanked religious leaders and
followers for their continued prayers for
peace and unity in the country.
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan,
read the first lesson drawn from Isaiah 9:
2, 6 and 7, while the President took the
second reading from Hebrews 1:1-12.
In a sermon titled: “The Jewish Messianic
Expectations and 2015 Elections”, the
Primate of the Anglican Church, the Most
Revd Nicholas Okoh, said the 2015
elections were a critical period in the
country.
He reminded political office seekers that
Nigerians have expectations, which
border on peace, freedom, security and
general prosperity.
He urged both serving and incoming
leaders to be guided by the people’s
expectations in their decisions. Okoh also
advised the citizens to base their voting
decisions on the communion good, noting
that if they elect people that don’t care,
their conditions would worsen.
On security challenges, the cleric
emphasised the need for Nigerians to
pray and work together to put “an end to
the reproach.
“We need to stop viewing security issues
as politics. It is everyone’s duty to join in
the fight against terrorists and rescue our
nation.”
The President was accompanied by his
wife, mother, Eunice, and members of the
Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The service was also attended by some
past government officials including a
former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry
Gana.