All My ministers and I’ll face trial by Buhari – Jonathan

Firstclass Newsline learnt that he stated on Sunday during a
thanksgiving and farewell service organised in his honour at the
Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja that the
persecution would happen because of the " hard decisions" his
administration took while in office.
Jonathan told the congregation that he understood clearly that " hard
decisions" had their own cost and was therefore ready to pay any
price for them
He said that experience had shown him that people would at a time
desert anybody who took "hard decisions" like he did while in
office.
Jonathan added that he had always believed that more of his
friends would desert him after May 29.
The President recalled the story of the last ruler of apartheid South
Africa, Frederik de Klerk, who was divorced by his wife for
accepting to abolish minority rule in the country, and said jokingly
that he hoped his wife, Patience, would not also divorce him after
the end of his tenure on May 29.
Beaming with smiles, Mrs. Jonathan, who on March 16 declared that she
was not ready to feed her husband in prison, replied with a shout of
"Nooooo."
Her response was greeted with a loud applause by congregation members.
The President said, "I believe there are reasons for everything.
Some hard decisions have their own cost; and there is no doubt about
that.
"That I have run the government this way that stabilised certain
things, the electoral process and other things that brought stability
to this country. They are 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 that benefitted? Is it not your government that this person
benefitted from? But this is what the person is saying.
"But I used to say that 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 de Klerk took the decision to abolish minority rule in South
Africa, even his wife divorced him. I hope my wife will not divorce
me. But that is the only decision that has made South Africa to be a
global player now. If they still have minority rule, by this time,
nobody will be talking about them.
"If you take certain decisions, it might be good for many but it might
affect others differently. So, for ministers and aides who served
with me, I sympathise with them because they will be persecuted. They
must be ready for persecution.
"Quoting Tai Solarin, may your ways be rough, I say to my ministers,
I wish you what I wish myself. They will have hard times, we will all
have hard times. Our ways will be rough."
Jonathan however said he was happy that ordinary Nigerians appreciated
what he did and that, according to him, is most important.
He said it was not what the elite talk about or say about his
administration that mattered to him but what the majority of the
Nigerians felt about his actions and inactions.
The President expressed delight that he came to Abuja with his family
peacefully and was leaving peacefully.
Jonathan also looked back at all the benefits that had came his way as
a Nigerian, saying he was ready to pay the supreme price for the
nation.
He said considering what God had done in his life, he wished he could
dance like the biblical King David.
Jonathan said, "I want to thank God for what he has done for me and my
family. I wish to dance more than David, if I tried to dance, I missed
my steps.
"I have all the reasons to thank God. Very few of those in my age
bracket have been that lucky. All through my education, I was on
government scholarship. I have not suffered lack not because I am
hardworking, but it has been 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 policemen that
have not received 0.5 per cent of the benefits that I have had from
the state can lay down 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 the people of my state(Bayelsa)
for giving me the opportunity to serve as deputy governor. I thank all
Nigerians who gave me the opportunity to serve as Vice President and
President. I had their support to complete the tenure of the late
president(Umaru Yar'Adua) and later serve as President from which I am
exiting now as a very happy and fulfilled man."
The President also thanked the church for standing by him even at
his most difficult times.
He said even on the March 28 presidential election which he lost to
Buhari, there were many people who supported him nationwide.
Jonathan promised to continue to pray for the country and the incoming
government of Muhammadu Buhari .
He said that Buhari won the March 28 election because God wanted it to be so.
The President added, "Even for the election, we had people who
supported us all over the country but things went the way they did
because God wanted them that way for a purpose.
"We will continue to pray for the peace of the country and for the
success of the incoming administration.
"When the country is in good shape, people benefit. When things are
going well, people are happy. You don't need to know Mr. President or
Mr. Governor.
"The issue is not about Jonathan or Buhari or any other person. The
issue is how the government functions in terms of stability and a
buoyant economy that will enable Nigerians to move forward and live
happily. That is our interest; that is my prayer point.
"All religious groups should pray for the country."
Jonathan thereafter requested that his favourite him, "Stand by me" be
sang again.
He said apart from inspiring him, the hymn "makes him to be aware of
the fact that whatever one does, there will always be storms."
Earlier, a former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana, said Jonathan
was favoured by God in many ways.
Gana thanked God for what Jonathan was able to achieve during his tenure.
The former minister, who headed the President's fundraising committee
during electioneering , said "Jonathan is a man of favour. He is
highly favoured by God. We thank God for what He has done for Nigeria
through him.
"Despite the big positions he occupied in the country, he has remained
humble and he has succeeded in deepening democracy in the country.
"He revived the rail system; he brought back hope to Nigeria and to
cap it all; he conceded defeat to his opponent in a heroic manner."
The Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, also praised the President while
reeling out some of his unique qualities and achievements in office.
He said, "He (Jonathan) is humane, gentle and unassuming. He has
transformed Nigeria. He is not vindictive. He loves the youth. He
empowered, mentored and motivated youths and women.
"He is a listening leader. He listens to everyone in the Federal
Executive Council before passing judgment. He fixed the electoral
process and brought credibility to it. He is Nigeria's greatest
leader."
In his sermon entitled, "Thanksgiving," the Primate of the Church of
Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, said although
Jonathan was leaving office as President, the world would still need
his services in different capacities.
Okoh said leaving office at this time did not translate to the fact
that Jonathan had expired.
He explained that what happened to the President was that he had
graduated into a class of statesmen and women.
Turning to the President, the clergyman said, "You have graduated and
entered the distinguished class of statesmen and women."In your new
office, you are a peacemaker. Nigeria, Africa, the black world and the
world will need you. You are relevant; you have just started; you have
not expired."
He recalled that at the inception of his administration, Jonathan did
a similar thing by giving thanks to God.
Okoh thanked God for the President's contributions to the growth of
the country, adding that some of the projects he initiated had been
completed while others are at advanced stages.
He said, "Whatever stage the projects may be, generations yet unborn
will read about Jonathan that he governed from so so time to so so
time.
"It will be studied by our children in history books. So, we should thank God.
"Again, you are leaving the (Presidential) Villa alive. Only God knows
what would have happened. There is nothing greater than life.
"We give thanks for what God did through you in your distressed
situation. Your humility saved lives and our enemies were
disappointed. There were many people who came and pretended to be your
friends, but were sadists. They came with cameras recording, but were
disappointed.
"What God is doing in your life you may not understand, it might take
years, but you need to be patient to understand because deeper meaning
of the event will unfold later."
Nigerians misunderstood Jonathan's calmness–Okupe
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public
Affairs, Doyin Okupe, has said Nigerians misunderstood the
President's calmness for indecisiveness.
Okupe, on his facebook page on Sunday, said "In a few days,
President Jonathan will bow out of office gracefully and graciously.
"President Jonathan has done well and served his country well. He
exits office as a great President; perhaps Nigeria's greatest
President for all times. Greater than the best before him. He excelled
in achievements, in humility, tranquility and simplicity.
"Nigerians misunderstood meekness for weakness, Restraint for lack of
strength, reticence for inaction and calmness for indecisiveness."
Okupe said that history would judge Jonathan differently, adding
that he(Jonathan) would "be remembered as a great man, a good man,
humble and humane, purposeful and focused. A great African hero who
fought against all manners of evil and conspiracies: Religious,
ethnic, national and international, and lost the war.
"But ultimately, he triumphed because of the inherent goodness that
God Almighty deposited in Him."
The presidential aide urged Nigerians not to weep for Jonathan but
"rather pray that our nation will remain, united and stable; that
its people will prosper and that God will guide our incoming leaders."
Firstclassnewsline.net