Abuja – President Goodluck Jonathan, Sunday, expressed fears that his wife
might divorce him because of his decision to allow the just concluded election
go on to its logical conclusion without interference.
Speaking at a thanksgiving and farewell service in his honour at the Cathedral
Church of the Advent Life-Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja, President Jonathan cited the
case of the former South African Apartheid leader, F.W de Klerk whose wife
divorced him for ending minority rule in South Africa.
President Jonathan who expressed appreciation to Nigerians for giving him the
opportunity to serve at various capacities reiterated his willingness to make the
ultimate sacrifice in the interest of the Nation.
He said: “I believe there are reasons for everything. Some hard decisions have
their own cost. That I have ran the government this way that stabilized certain
things, the electoral process and other things that brought stability into this
country. They were very costly decisions which I must be ready to pay for.
“Some people come to me and say this or that person, is he not your friend? Is
it not your government that this person benefited from? But this is what the
person is saying. But I used to say, worse statements will come. If you take
certain decisions, you should know that those close to you will even abandon
you at some point. And I tell them that more of my so-called friends will
disappear. When F.W de Klerk took the decision to abolish minority rule in RSA,
even his wife divorced him. I hope my wife will not divorce me. But that is the
only decision that has made RSA to still remain a global player. If we still had
minority rule there, by this time, nobody will be talking about RSA.
“If you take certain decisions, it might be good for the generality of the people
but it might affect people differently. So for ministers and aides who served
with me, I sympathize with them, they will be persecuted. And they must be
ready for that persecution” he said.
File: President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife
While expressing appreciation to God for what he has done for him and his
family, President Jonathan said he had all the reason to thank God.
“Very few of those in my age brackets have been that lucky. All through my
education were on government scholarships.
I have not suffered lack, not because I’m hard-working but by God’s grace.
“When I look at the whole picture of my life up to when I became the president
of this country. I say that if soldiers and police officers that have not received
0.5 per cent of the benefits that I have received from the state can lay their
lives for this country, I should do anything in the interest of Nigeria including
paying the supreme price.
“As long as live, I will continue to do my best for the state because the state
has helped me as a person.
“I have to thank Nigerians especially, my state for giving me the opportunity to
serve as deputy governor, and the whole country gave me the opportunity to
serve as Vice President and then President, first was to complete the tenure of
the late president and later serve as president from which I am exiting now as a
very happy and fulfilled man”.
Speaking on his decision to concede defeat which he said did not go down well
with some of his ministers and associates, President Jonathan noted that the
most important thing is that “the ordinary people appreciate what we did.”
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
