ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – President Goodluck Jonathan has said having been a part of a process to strengthen the weak points of Nigeria that has has led to divisions and conflicts, and was ready to implement the report of the National Conference, it was only natural that he conceded defeat to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari after the March 28th election.
He said that he took the decision to concede defeat because he would not be party to the disintegration of the country that he had had the privilege to govern.
He added that he would dedicate the rest of his life to issues of peace and unity across the African continent in particular and the world in general.
He urged the incoming administration to appreciate the contributions of all Nigerians to the Confab report.
Jonathan said this when he received a delegation of Universal Peace Federation led by a constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who conferred on him, the Peace Loving Global Citizen award and appointed him as Nigeria’s Representative at the Global Peace Council to replace Nigeria’s former head of Interim National Government, Chief Earnest Shonekan.
Jonathan, who said his party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Vice President, Namadi Sambo should 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 he was not created that way.
Jonathan 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 Ernest 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 decision (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 a person has that character of a criminal or somebody who is very vindictive, somebody who by nature doesn’t care that people are dying; then of course even if half of your country men and women are dying, you may celebrate it.
“But fortunately for me, God didn’t creat 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 about three years before as a nation.
“We have our challenges, of course, we had a National Conference; the idea of the conference was to look at these weak cleavages 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 a stronger and united nation. I cannot be a party to 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 do 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”.
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 their Otuoke and Kaduna country homes respectively as a 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 apparatus calling to concede defeat shows you as an extraordinary human being.
“Before and during the campaign you continued to say that your ambition is not worth the blood of any 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 is uncommon and unnatural.
“Mr. President and Vice President go back to your states proud men that you came, you saw and you 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 the precipice. It was to your tent oh Israel, many thought that that prediction that Nigeria will break up will happen but God used you, touched you and made you to deliver Nigeria from that precipice and we are very grateful”, he said.
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