President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has said that his political ambition is not worth the spilling of the blood of any Nigerian.
The President who spoke in Abuja at the Armed Forces Remembrance Day service at the National Christian Centre said he was surprised that elders statesmen in the country were inciting youth to kill and maim over political differences.
Jonathan said: “We are also to emulate them. Those who have paid the supreme sacrifice to keep our nation together; those of us who are alive, especially leaders today, should think of what we can do to honour them. This is to know that whatever we say, whatever song we sing, it should be a song that will bring honour to them and peace to this country.
“Sometimes, I get worried when I listen to provocative statements that come from very senior citizens; people who ordinarily you perceive as very senior citizens. They are people who are probably 70 or 80 years, who have seen it all, who ordinarily should know the unity of this country is more important than the interest any individual.
“Sometimes, they preach hate and even encourage young people to carry arms and kill one another.”
The President added, “I have always said it that any ambition I have at any time is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. I will never ever expect a Nigerian to spill a drop of his blood because Goodluck Jonathan must fulfil his ambition.
“…So, on an occasion when we are remembering those who have kept this country one for us to be celebrating our centenary, we should admonish ourselves. To the key actors today, we should preach peace; we should preach unity.
“If all of us collectively talk about the unity and peace of this country, then all our economic and security problems will be resolved and the country will move in the direction we want it to.”
Today’s occasion, as we all know, is a service to remember our Armed Forces. The concluding programme is on Wednesday, January 15. This programme was launched on December 16 (last year). From the day it was launched, there have been a lot of commitments as people have donated various sums of money. Even after that launch, I’ve seen so many people wearing the tags…
“The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is a unique occasion, but this year’s programme is even more unique because on January 1, this year, Nigeria made 100 years as a nation. It’s not easy to get there. There were lots of challenges. For us to have reached 100 years, some people paid dearly for it; some people worked for it.
“The first group of people we can remember, who worked and paid dearly for it were in the Armed Forces. You know the challenges they faced during the Civil War. But for them, we wouldn’t have celebrated the centenary.”