President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, urged Nigerians to pray fervently about 2015 as it would be a turbulent year.
The president, who spoke at the Christ Apostolic Church, Area I, Durumi, Abuja where he joined other worshippers for the last Sunday of the year service, urged special prayers for politicians in the country, whose utterances, he noted, was capable of setting Nigeria ablaze.
“Next year is a tempting year for us. Election year in Third World countries is always a turbulent year with all kinds of predictions. I, however, believe that God who brought us to this level will see us through,” Jonathan said.
“All that I will request of you is to continue to pray for us politicians, myself and other politicians from all political parties, for God to guide us in our utterances and what we do so that we will not sacrifice the lives of Nigerians because of our ambitions.
“Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. Pray to God to give us that wisdom and mind to make sure we conduct ourselves in a way that will not set the country ablaze because of our personal ambitions,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate also said that people occupying public offices are just privileged, as there are several Nigerians who are also qualified. This, he believes, should make leaders conduct themselves in the right manner.
“There are so many good Nigerians that can hold the offices we are occupying or aspiring to occupy, it is by privilege of God that we are here in positions to ask for the mandates of Nigerians.
“None of us should begin to think that he is the best person to be anywhere from state houses of assembly to the Presidency. There are a thousand and one Nigerians that are super qualified more than those people who are even aspiring to occupy offices.
“Pray for us that God should give us the wisdom to conduct ourselves in a manner that at the end of the day, this country will triumph,” he said.
Jonathan, while speaking further, noted that leadership is all about service. According to him, anyone who truly wants to serve will not encourage killing of opponents, as is becoming commonplace in our country.
“The development of Nigeria is what all of us want. If every aspirant has the mind to develop the people, then you do not need to kill or maim people to get there. You do not need to kill the people you want to develop in order to get to the office you want except if you are aspiring for that office for a different reason.
“If the idea is to help the people, grow the economy and make the people happy, you won’t want to kill, you won’t want to maim or burn down houses, vehicles and property,” the president said.