President Buhari Receiving President Jonathans call

Tribute to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; the Definer of a New Era. - Mr. Ose Golden

Mr. President, the elections may have come and gone but the lessons remain in our hearts. While many celebrate the winner in a contest as it is traditionally, you have made us this day to celebrate not just the winner of a historic election but to celebrate your person too for being a winner, though not of our votes but our hearts. 

We know that many who supported you, did so for your strengths which include, respect for others, gentlemanliness, restorative abilities, consultative abilities, transformational achievements, humane disposition, sincerity and trust, which was your greatest undoing because many believe that leadership is the ability to crush others or whip them to submission but you proved them wrong.

Those who did not support you saw your strength as weakness. They wanted you to exercise force even when it meant crushing others, take some drastic decisions without recourse to the rule of law or respect for the dignity of the human person, and use the power at your disposal to your gains but these you resisted knowing that you held power in trust for the people to whom power truly belongs. Like David in the bible who had the opportunity to slay Saul but refused, you have written your name in gold as a man after God’s heart and a man whose strength though perceived as weakness has redefined who a hero is. 

Nigerians will ever be grateful for being the definer of a new era of respect for the people and the rule of law, which your predecessor, Late President Yar’adua believed. That you conceded defeat means that you are indeed a winner. You may not have won the votes of all Nigerians within and outside Nigeria, but you have won their hearts and by your actions this day, you have become the one we celebrate today. Rather than allow our blood to be spilled so that you can remain in office, you chose to be the sacrifice so that there will be a people to be governed. You chose not to follow the path of those whose kinsmen and countrymen have been slain for the purpose of power.

Like oil that prevents friction, by your action, you lubricated the joints of our togetherness as a nation so that we can live as one entity. Truly, you believed in the togetherness of our nation. As a symbol of the oil region you came from, rather than use the oil as fuel to consume all of us, you chose to use it as a lubricant, so that we can function well and move in one direction, a direction created by our founding fathers. You put to shame, those who for their selfish gains drummed for war. 

When the story of our democracy is told to future generations, you will not just be a sentence or a paragraph, the entire book will focus on you as the true father of a democratic Nigeria; a father who though is a dear son of the Niger Delta, is indeed greater than his fathers who have ruled Nigeria. Congratulations Mr. President for winning our hearts. 

Long Live Nigeria; one great nation under God! 

Long live Mr. President, our present and future hero!

FULL TEXT: Statement By President Goodluck Jonathan After Announcement Of Presidential Election Results

 
Fellow Nigerians,

I thank you all for turning out en-masse for the March 28 General Elections.

I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. I have also expanded the space for Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. That is one legacy I will like to see endure.

Although some people have expressed mixed feelings about the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process based on our constitution and our electoral laws, in seeking redress.

As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else.
I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully going through the process of the March 28th General Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and commitment that was demonstrated nationwide.

I also commend the Security Services for their role in ensuring that the elections were mostly peaceful and violence-free.

To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you for your support. Today, the PDP should be celebrating rather than mourning. We have established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and free and fair elections.

For the past 16 years, we have steered the country away from ethnic and regional politics. We created a Pan-Nigerian political party and brought home to our people the realities of economic development and social transformation.

Through patriotism and diligence, we have built the biggest and most patriotic party in Nigerian history. We must stand together as a party and look to the future with renewed optimism.

I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure.
I have conveyed my personal best wishes to General Muhammadu Buhari.

May God Almighty continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I thank you all.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
March 31, 2015