You Love Nigeria More Than Power, Prominent Leaders Eulogise Jonathan At Book Launch

President Mohammadu Buhari, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Former Vice President Namadi Sambo, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, as well as former presidents of Ghana, Benin, Sierra Leone and others eulogized former President Goodluck Jonathan for stabilizing Nigeria after he lost the 2015 general presidential elections.

The leaders took the center stage at the public presentation of the book “My Transition Hours” written by former President Jonathan.

While speaking at the event, former president of Ghana, John Mahama, said Mr Jonathan was more of an academic who found himself in politics. “He is not your typical politician.”

Recall that at the last general election, Jonathan called President Buhari, the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to concede before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the final result.

Mahama also recalled that at the height of vote counting after the 2015 election and because of his closeness to Mr Jonathan, he received lots of calls from members of the international community especially from the UK and USA “asking me to speak to my friend to accept defeat”.

“They were afraid that like a typical African leader he would try to hold on to power.

“But I told them there was no need, Jonathan is a good man and he would do the right thing,

“For him, politics was not a matter of life and death. His decision in 2015 was not surprising to me at all,” Mahama added.

On his part, ex-head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar said Jonathan’s decision to concede defeat in 2015 shows that he loves Nigeria more than power.

“We congratulate you for putting pen to paper to document your transition. We cannot thank you enough for the peace we have in the country – through the peaceful transition when you honourably conceded in 2015,” Abubakar said.

“By your action, your excellency, your brought peace to this country and you became an example, not to Nigeria but Africa. You have shown that you have shown that you love your country more than you love power congratulations, he added.

Also speaking, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former minister of state for Minister of Special Duties, said Jonathan chose to keep the country together, other than selfish gains.

“We are here today to celebrate an icon who kept the country together in 2015 without fighting a war, just as we celebrate Gen. Yakubu Gowon who fought a war in 1967 to keep Nigeria together.”

Also at the event are the National Chairman of the All Progress Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, who recently defected from the PDP to the APC.

Others in attendance are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha who represented President Buhari, former Heads of State, Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalam Abubakar, Former President of Sierraleone, Ernest Bai Koroma.

Others are the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, General TY Danjuma, Governors of Rivers, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Delta and Abia States, as well as the National Chairman of the PDP Uche Secondus.