President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to Nigerians to forgive him if they were hurt directly or indirectly by his actions during his tenure as Vice- President, acting President and President.
He made the appeal at a farewell service organised in his honour at the Aso Villa Chapel in Abuja on Sunday, adding that those actions were not deliberately done.
“Nothing is perfect; if you wait for perfection, you cannot achieve anything. No system is perfect. Every human system has an element of imperfection.
“So, for the eight years that I have been here as Vice-President, acting President and President, I can say that no one is perfect.
“We have done certain things that probably we shouldn’t have done, but we didn’t do them deliberately.
“So, for those that we offended, it was not deliberate; it was as a result of the exigencies of the office.
“We plead that such people should forgive us; I think we have done our best. You may do your own best and your friends and associates may misunderstand you,” he stated.
Jonathan thanked God and those who stood by him and his family in the last eight years, saying he had every reason to be thankful.
While admitting that public office holders have different roles, the President said no head of government, be it at the national or sub- regional levels, could do everything.
He however said it was normal for office holders to set and achieve targets so that their tenure would be remembered.
Jonathan recalled that when he was the governor of Bayelsa State, his target was to construct two bridges in the state annually.
But he said that that dream was cut short when he was nominated as the vice presidential candidate of the then Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Umaru Yar’Adua (late).
The President said although he was leaving as President and his wife as the First Lady, they would not leave members of the Aso Rock Chapel who were relentless in praying for them.
“I believe some of you may even come closer and even do more meaningful things together when we leave office.
“The office is quite challenging; some of you may desire to see us but I believe that as we move forward, things will get better.
“I don’t believe that it is only in government that one can do things; outside it (government), you can do a lot.
“The richest people in the world don’t even serve in government. (Aliko) Dangote has never been in government, yet he is doing so much.
“Bill Gates too has never been in government, yet he is the richest man in the world. So outside government, a lot of things happen; It is for us to be committed and be focused,” President Jonathan said.
The President’s Chaplain, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, in a short message titled, “To God be the Glory” thanked God for keeping the Jonathan family safe throughout their stay in the Presidential Villa.
Mrs. Jonathan read the first lesson of the service from Numbers 6:22-27 while the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, John Kennedy-Okpara, read the second lesson from 2 Chorinthians 13:11-14.
The service featured special presentation by the children, presentation by the chapel committee and special prayers for the nation.
A five-year-old girl, Juliet Ishola of the children church, stole the show with a memory verse taken from 1 Timothy 6: 6-7.
She got a standing ovation from the congregation when after reading the verse, she turned to Jonathan and said, “For emphasis, I will take verse 7 of I Timothy chapter 6 again which says “For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we will not take anything away.”
Juliet went on to tell the President, “You seem to understand this verse more than all of us by your reaction to the results of the 2015 presidential election.
“God bless you sir for allowing peace to reign in the country.”
Thank you Mr President , to err is human , to forgive is divine . We pray to Almighty God to accept your prayer at the step of his Throne . Go fort and toil in the service of The Lord . Make severity your watchword . All the best .