President Goodluck Jonathan prays for Buhari’s incoming government

 President Goodluck Jonathan has prayed for the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari and his incoming governent.  He also urged Nigerian leaders to be ready to make sacrifices for the growth of the country.

The President made the comments on Saturday, April 25, 2015, while speaking at the fifth presidential prayer breakfast held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“We continue to pray for the country and of course, we pray for the incoming government and also pray for us who are leaving to have the opportunity to serve humanity in different phases,” he said.

“I remember in 2009 when I visited the Nordic countries, they told me they were celebrating 200 years of peace that has enabled them to develop.   Nigeria was 49 years as an independent nation in 2009. If the Nordic countries, well developed technologically and otherwise, it means crisis really retards development,” the president added.

The President also said that despite the many problems faced by Nigeria, the country would overcome.

“So we have challenges, today we are talking about Boko Haram in the north, kidnapping in South-South, South-East. At times you are forced to think that the nation is ending, definitely this country will overcome this challenge. That is the reason for these prayers. Just like prayers helped Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, our constant prayers will help us rebuild this nation,” Jonathan said.

“For me, I have to thank God and Nigerians for the privilege and opportunity given to me this past 16 years. I served my state as a deputy governor and governor for eight years. From government house in Yenagoa and then I came here to the state house, Abuja served the country as vice president and a president. That is a reasonable length of time and so I have to thank God, first because if God did not will it, it won’t have happened,” he added.