- Last Updated on 11 May 2015
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For allowing the 2015 general elections to run freely and fairly, President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said he only hopes he would not be divorced by his wife, Dame Patience.
Jonathan made this joke while speaking at a thanksgiving and farewell service in his honour at the Cathedral Church of the Advent Life-Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja. He attended the event with his wife.
He even cited the case of the former South African Apartheid leader, F.W. De Clerk who was divorced by his wife for taking the decision to end the minority rule in the Republic of South Africa.
Though the President saw it as a joke, some the attendees of the church programme said it could be interpreted to mean that Dame Patience was even more desperate than her husband during the electioneering and that she was not ready for the election to be free and fair.
Jonathan confessed that his decision to concede defeat did not actually go down well with some of his ministers and aides but said what was more important was the fact the many Nigerians appreciated the decision.
Like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Jonathan also said he was prepared to die for Nigeria while he remained President, adding that for this reason, he ensured that he implemented a lot of policies to better the lives of the people of the country.
He further said most Nigerians are happy with his achievements but that only a few elite were angry with his government.
He however said he expected the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari to persecute him and his government over the policies he implemented as President.
Jonathan said: “I believe there are reasons for everything. Some hard decisions have their own cost, no doubt about that.
“I have run the government this way that stabilised certain things, the electoral process and other things that brought stability into this country. They were very costly decisions which I myself must be ready to pay for.
“Some people come to me and say this or that person is he not your friend that benefited? 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 FW De Clerk 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 by this time. If we still had that 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 sympathise with them, they will be persecuted. And they must be ready for that persecution,” Jonathan said.
He thanked God for giving him the opportunity to get to the apex of his dream adding: “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 percent 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 I 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 that gave me the opportunity to serve as Vice President and then President, first 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.”
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