Nigerians’ll praise me after leaving office, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said he did

not expect Nigerians to shower praises on him while

still in office.

He said it was normal that public office holders would

only be commended after leaving office by the time

their achievements were compared with those of

their predecessors.

Jonathan spoke while granting audience to a

delegation from his home state, Bayelsa, led by

Governor Seriake Dickson.

But the President's wife, Patience, was again absent

during the visit of the Bayelsa delegation.

Jonathan, however, told members of the delegation

that his wife would have joined him to receive them

but for an urgent trip she made outside Abuja.

He said Patience left Abuja in the morning for their

home state to oversee the preparation for the

traditional marriage of his cousin's daughter holding

in Bayelsa State on Saturday.

He said he would also be travelling for the event on

Friday and return to Abuja on Sunday.

Members of the delegation led by Dickson were in

the Presidential Villa, Abuja to felicitate with the

President on the Christmas and New Year festivities.

The President said notwithstanding the various

challenges facing the country, he would do his best to

make his people proud.

He said, "I always say that I will not even expect

praises now because hardly do people praise serving

leaders, it is when you leave. When you leave, people

will begin to compare what you have done over the

period vis-a-vis what others have done.

"Probably that is the time some people will begin to

say good things about you. But I will do my best to

make sure that we do change things. We are trying to

create an enabling environment for our economy to

thrive irrespective of the challenges we are having in

the petroleum sector and the security challenges we

have.

"I will do my best so that by the time I will leave, you

will be able to say that when our son was there, he

served the country well so that one day, another son

of Bayelsa may be given another opportunity to

serve Nigerians."

Jonathan observed that it had become the norm

worldwide for people to lambast their leaders,

especially on the social media.

He regretted that people were using different things

that had been created by people's knowledge for

negative purposes.

He cited an example of dynamite, saying the inventor

regretted when he realised the destructive purposes

people have turned the item to.

The President added, "These days, there are all kind

of stories. It is all over the world, leaders are being

lambasted, especially with the social media now.

"People use what knowledge had created for negative

reasons. Just as I was told that the person who

invented the dynamite regretted that invention

because he thought he was coming up with

something to solve human problem, but when he got

to know about the level of destruction: human lives

that are being blown up because of explosion, the

man regretted that invention.

"What is supposed to be used for the common good

was turned to negative purposes."

Jonathan reiterated his position that 2015 would be a

challenging year for the country because of the

general elections.

"The new year is full of challenges for Nigerians

because of the early elections. Everywhere will be

hot from January 2," he declared.

Earlier, Dickson had told the President on behalf of

the delegation that the people of the state were

proud of his service to the nation.

The governor added that the purpose of the visit was

to show the world that they were with Jonathan in

actions and in prayers.

Dickson said, "We are proud of your service. We are

here to show solidarity and to let everybody know

that your people are always with you in deed and in

prayers.

"It is in the spirit of Christmas that we are here on

behalf of the people of the state to wish you, your

family and government compliments of the season

and wish you victorious 2015.

"We bring you prayers and message of solidarity. We

thank all Nigerians for the support and prayers they

have been giving you.

"We are proud of the service you are giving to our

country and we appreciate your transformation

agenda."

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