President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said thar he is ready and willing to continue to serve as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigieria, however, he was not desperate to continue in office.
Jonathan made this disclosure at the public launch of a book, “The People’s Choice: The story of President Goodluck Jonathan written” by Rev. Fr. Charles Imokhai, where over N170 million was raised, at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The four-part book chronicles the life of the President including his educational background, political career and family among others.
Jonathan who said he had two key message to pass to the public, advised politicians who are interested in occupying any elective position either at state or federal level not to be desperate.
“My second message is to all of us, especially those of us who are politicians, that for all of us who want to serve, we should be ready to serve but we should not be desperate to serve our people.
“Sometimes, people ask me that Mr. President, from what we read and what we see, we see you still smiling and unruffled.
“Yes, nothing will really ruffle me because I am willing and ready to serve but I am not desperate to serve. That is what keeps me going.
“All of us who want to hold offices from the least, a counselor of a ward or a chairman of a council, a member of the state House of Assembly or member of House of Representatives, Senate, Governor or the President, if all of us are always ready and willing to serve our people but we are not desperate in that our mission, then of course Nigeria will be a better place for all of us,” he said.
Jonathan who described the story of his life as a humble one noted that most accounts of his life so far published are not accurate.
He said while the book being presented provided an account that is close to being accurate, he would write the most accurate one after leaving office.
He promised that as long as he remains the President, he would continue to come up with programmes that will help young people.
While expressing the confidence that beneficiaries of his administration’s YouWin Programme would be shocking the country in the next 10 to 15 years, as big players in the economy and employers of labour.
Speaking more on his passion for education said, “My dream is that one day, a product of Almajiri school will stand here as a President of this country.
“That is why I have been very passionate about education and I use to tell people that I grew up from a very poor background. But luckily Nigeria is not a cast society, if I was to be an Indian, I probably wouldn’t even dream of being a commissioner in my state.
“This is because in a cast society where some people permanently belong to a lower class but Nigeria is an open society, so you can move from the lowest level to the top but for you to do that one key thing is education and that is why I lay so much emphasis on education.
“That was why when I came here, I decided that every state must have a federal university,” he added.
Jonathan made it cleared the air that the money realised from the launch was neither going to his pocket nor that of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said the organisers planned to set up a foundation and use the proceeds to embark on projects that will impact positively on the country and its citizens.
He however said that further details on the projects had not been made known.
A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), who acted as the chairman of the book launch said he stood in for Ambassador Yusuff Maitama Sule, who he said had to travel back to Kano to attend to his ailing wife.
He used the opportunity to clear the air on the agreement he reached with the former Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, that was later known as the Aburi Accord.
He explained that Odumegwu-Ojukwu made a statement that was contrary to what they discussed at the venue of the accord.
He said the late Biafran leader was able to accomplish that task because he (Gowon) was down with fever when Odumegwu-Ojukwu returned to make the statement.
“I have seen that you (the author) have gone back in history in your research when Ojukwu and myself had the Aburi Accord.
“I was fascinated by that because I can assure you that that meeting was to break the ice and for all of us the military leaders at the time be allowed to be able and to agree to be discussing our problems in Nigeria and to solve them.
“What happened to us at Aburi was that I couldn’t make it down because I was unfortunately down with a fever.
“Ojukwu got back and made a statement and that wasn’t what we discussed and that was the beginning of the misunderstanding, not because we agreed to work with Ojukwu.
“Since you presented that we have a meeting I thought I should make that comment and to correct that,” he said.
Gowon advised Nigerians to vote their conscience during the March 28 presidential elections.
“Vote your conscience, but vote right. I hope all of you here will do the right thing and vote for the people’s choice,” he said.
The author, Rev. Fr. Imokhai, said he wrote the book as an encouragement for the President to continue with his good works.
He likened Jonathan to a Catholic priest, saying those in the sacred ministry always hear what they do wrong but do not hear what they do right.
The book reviewer, Prof. Richard King, said although many books had been written on Jonathan, this is the first time an in-depth mention would be made about almost everything about the President.
King described the book as a perfectly planned and written book on the President and the nation as a whole.
He expressed the hope that Jonathan would remain the people’s choice even after the presidential election.
The Chief Launcher, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, announced a donation of N25m and another N26m on behalf of his friends.
Rabiu also announced a donation of N20m on behalf of the co-launcher, Chief Cletus Ibeto, who was said to be abroad at the time of the launch.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State bought some copies of the book for members of the state executive council for N20m and bought a copy each for all state governors for N10m.
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, also bought copies of the book for N10m while the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, bought on behalf of women for N5m.
One Alhai Hauwa Lawal bought copies for N10m; Mr. Tunde Ayeni bought for N10m; Mr. Kola Adesina bought for N12m and Charles Momoh bought for N5m.
The PDP Presidential Campaign Oganisation and a former Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, donated N1m each among other numerous donations.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, bought 50 copies for members of the Federal Executive Council at a special rate of N15,000 per copy.
Hardback cover of the book were sold at the event for N10,000 each while the paperback copies went for N7,000 each.
