Nigeria’s outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan, has asked Christians to continue to pray for the incoming administration to succeed in the management of the country’s affairs.
President Jonathan was speaking at a Presidential Election Thanksgiving Service held in Abuja on Sunday to offer prayers for the incoming government as well as bid farewell to the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Addressing the congregation, he stressed that the outcome of the presidential elections was an indication that Nigeria would remain one united entity under one God “no matter who becomes the President” of oil-rich nation.
“I am happy that Nigeria is celebrating the unity of the country and not a mass burial that follows conflicts in elections.
“It was about the unity of Nigeria,” President Jonathan said, calling for continuous prayers for whoever is on the throne.
It was a long roll call of dignitaries drawn from all political divides in attendance at the Thanksgiving and Inauguration Service with the theme ‘Give Thanks In All Circumstances’.
To watch the video of the Thanksgiving Service, click here.
At the Sevrvice, they gave thanks and praises to God for His faithfulness and the years He had granted the President Jonathan’s administration, the peaceful elections in the country and the success of the incoming government
The preacher, the Primate if the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Nicholas Okoh, recalled the offences that followed the campaigns and called for forgiveness if their thanksgiving would be accepted.
He likened Nigeria to a big ship now in the hands of General Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo, whom he stressed were to continue from where Jonathan and Sambo stopped.
There were prayers for those in authority, the outgoing and incoming administration and for Nigerians, thanking God for the ability to be in service for ones fatherland.
At the service, President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife step unto the altar for the presentation of an award for outstanding humility by the Christian Association of Nigeria.
The First Lady in a speech thanked God for His provision for the family and an opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“I had not dreamt of being the wife of a Deputy Governor because my husband was not a politician. But God lifted us up,” she said.
To watch the video of the First Lady’s testimony, click here.
After the award presentation, the Vice President-elect, Professor Osinbajo, who was also at the service gave a short speech.
In a sonorous way, he started and ended with a word of prayer for the outgoing President.
The Christian association also gave him the assurance that they would not cease in praying for his success.
The service was one of the activities lined-up for the inauguration week. On May 29, President Goodluck will hand over to General Muhammadu Buhari.
The congregation prayed that Nigeria would have an eventful handover ceremony and that the government would continue to put in place policies that would make the nation an envy of other countries.
