Press Release.
By Ikechukwu Eze, Spokesman to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan sues for peace as ex-PDP ministers pays him Sallah visit
Former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan on Monday urged Nigerians to work for peace and unity of the country, stressing that no nation truly develops under an atmosphere of tension and distrust.
The ex-President made the plea yesterday while hosting the Forum of ex-Ministers of the Peoples Democratic Party who paid him a Sallah visit yesterday.
Jonathan who also commended Muslims for always taking the time of Ramadan to pray for the good of the nation, noted that peace was paramount in the life of any nation, adding that investors are always wary of an uncertain environment.
He said: “I commend our Moslem brothers for always using this period to pray for peace in the county. We all should use this period to realise that the unity of the country is paramount because we cannot develop as a nation except we have peace. No matter how people demonstrate, no president can do magic if there is so much tension in the land.
“Once there is a sense of insecurity in any country investors will maintain their distance. When that happens of course, the economy will drop. What makes investors develop confidence in an economy is peace, because nobody want to go and invest where they are not sure of the security of their workers and their investments. So we should all pray and work towards peace because that is the only way we can as a nation truly work for our own good and the good of our economy.”
Chairman of the Forum Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) commended Jonathan for all he had sacrificed to keep the nation together, saying: We are members of the Forum of PDP ministers from 1999 to 2015. It comprises those who served as ministers under Presidents Obasanjo and Yar’Adua and those who served under you (Jonathan). We decided to pay our Sallah homage to you. We have always maintained that tradition of visiting you during Sallah, Christmas or any other festivity for that matter. That has been you practice to host us and in the process give us the opportunity to interact at interpersonal levels as well as discuss issues that are not only of mutual interest to us but those that affect our nation generally.
“Recall that on several occasions during your time as President you had a cause to also fast during the time of Ramadan to identify yourself with Muslims in this country and to show them that as a father and a leader you are not only with them in spirit but also with them in practice. We also want to appreciate you as the leader of our party in this country today. We are proud of you. We are proud of your leadership.
“I have always said it that it is not always in the life of a human being that one gets the opportunity to hear people say positive things while he is still alive. I believe that the decision you made in putting into practice your belief that your ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian has not only become word on marble in Africa today but has in deed stood you out as an elder statesman, not only in this country but in the whole of Africa.