President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday maintained that he was not desperate to serve.
He made the remark while speaking during launching of a book, ‘The People’s Choice’, in the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
The book, which is in four parts and written by Rev. Fr. Charles Imokhan, is a story of President Jonathan.
Over N170 million was realized from the book launch.
According to President Jonathan, he is not ruffled towards the forthcoming elections as he is only willing and ready to serve the country but not desperate to serve.
He also charged Nigerian politicians to desist from desperation in their quest for power.
He said: “Sometimes people ask me 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’m willing and ready to serve but I’m not desperate to serve.
“And that is what keeps me going and if 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, 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
President Jonathan also expressed gratitude to the Author of the book, Rev. Fr. Imohkai for the great details of his account in the book, which he said is more than earlier publications on him.
He reiterated his commitment to the empowering of the people with quality education to enable everyone realise his potentials like himself.
He said: “Because my story is a humble story and whenever I read write ups about me especially my personal account from my birth to when I got into the limelight of deputy governor, most times the accounts are not very accurate and is expected.
“I think the only accurate account will be when I write when I leave office. But to some extent this particular account is reasonably close, the whole story has been captured but except for minor details.”
“Thank you for representing me to Nigerians and of course whole world. My story is meant to encourage young people. I have to thank the people who bought the books for Almajiri schools because my dream is that one day a product of Almajiri school will stand here as a president of this country.
“And 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.”
He went on “Because in a cast society 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. The responsibility of primary school is that of local government and the state, but because of the drop out at the basic education level in so many states, the federal government under my watch decided to invest also at that level of education, both primary and secondary to assist states government.
“Because without education, there is no miracle that would have brought somebody like me to face you today. So, I thank the governor of Anambra state and others who are committed to education.”
He noted that the objective of the book which was to establish a foundation with the money raised to cater for the less privileged, was almost fulfilled.
“I believe that the expectations of Col. Obi and Fr. Imokhai would have been met. Their hope is to set up a foundation though they are yet to give us the details.
“So, feel free to mention whatever you have, the money is not coming to Jonathan’s pocket, is not also going to pocket of PDP but is going to the foundation that the author and the chairman of the organising committee have in mind.
“I thank you Fr. Imokhai for this great work you have done for sitting down to write about me, you are indeed a lucky man if not luckier than me because within this period I have been in office, I have seen so many publications about me and none has attracted people like this.
“So, you must be a lucky man to gather this creme of Nigerians including our former Head of State Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Oladipo Diya former Chief of General Staff, the former Chief of Justice of Nigeria, Justice Uwaise and Governor Willy Obiano and others,” he said.
Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who stood in for Ambassador Maitama Sule as the Chairman of the occasion, corrected an impression in the book concerning the Aburi Accord.
He said: “I have seen that you have gone back in history in your research with Ojukwu and myself on Aburi Accord. I was fascinated by that because I can assure you that meeting was to break the ice and to all of us allow the military leaders at the time to be able and to agree to be discussing our problems in Nigeria and to solve them.”
“The little handicap that was at the final phase was scuttled. What happened to us at Aburi was that I couldn’t make it because I was unfortunately down with fever. And 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
He urged Nigerians to vote for their conscience in the forthcoming general elections.
He said: “This book is coming at the time as Nigeria will be voting in a matter of days. After reading the book those not yet decided you will vote for one of our presidential candidates. I can assure you that the President, as democrat as he is will say do not vote for me on the basis of religion, please vote your conscience, and if it is the people choice so be it.”
“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 added
The author, Rev. Fr. Charles Imokhai, said that he was encourage to write the book because of the good work the president has been doing.
He said: “I see you are becoming clergy, in the ministry we hear what we do wrong and not what we do right. I wrote this book to assure you that you have done a few things right.”
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