President Goodluck Jonathan has begged any Nigerian he
may have offended while in office to forgive him.
Mr. Jonathan made the plea on Sunday during a farewell
service organized for him and his family on Sunday at the
Aso Villa chapel.
The President said there was no way he would not have
stepped on toes in his roles first as Vice President, Acting
President, and President of Nigeria. He added that this
would not have been deliberate.
He noted that there are times when one would take a
decision in the best interest of all but even friends would
misunderstand the situation.
“So for the eight (years) that one has been there, definitely
one is not perfect. We have certainly done things that
probably we wouldn’t have done that way, but we didn’t do
things deliberately.
“So for those who we have offended it was not deliberate, it
was circumstances of the office. So we also plead that
those people should forgive, we think we have done our
best.
“You can do your best and your friends may misunderstand
you,” he said.
Mr. Jonathan said his last service at the chapel would have
been on May 24, but on that day, “we will all go to the
National Christian Centre for the inauguration service. So
for me and my wife, this is our last day of worship here. The
congregation will continue until new government takes
over.”
Meanwhile the Vice President-elect ,Yemi Osinbajo, was
absent at the farewell service which would have seen the
President officially handing over the chapel to him.
Speaking to journalists after the Sunday service, the Aso
Rock Chaplain, Obioma Onwuzurumba, said the Vice
President-elect had been duly invited but was unfortunately
absent. He sent a representative in his stead.
Mr. Jonathan, a Christian from South South Nigeria, lost his
re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from North
West Nigeria. While Mr. Jonathan’s Vice President is a
Muslim, Mr. Buhari’s is a Christian cleric.
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