by Talatu Usman
President Goodluck Jonathan has begged any Nigerian he may have offended while in office to forgive him.
Mr. Jonathan made the plea on Sunday during a farewell service organized for him and his family on Sunday at the Aso Villa chapel.
The President said there was no way he would not have stepped on toes in his roles first as Vice President, Acting President, and President of Nigeria. He added that this would not have been deliberate.
He noted that there are times when one would take a decision in the best interest of all but even friends would misunderstand the situation.
“So for the eight (years) that one has been there, definitely one is not perfect. We have certainly done things that probably we wouldn’t have done that way, but we didn’t do things deliberately.
“So for those who we have offended it was not deliberate, it was circumstances of the office. So we also plead that those people should forgive, we think we have done our best.
“You can do your best and your friends may misunderstand you,” he said.
Mr. Jonathan said his last service at the chapel would have been on May 24, but on that day, “we will all go to the National Christian Centre for the inauguration service. So for me and my wife, this is our last day of worship here. The congregation will continue until new government takes over.”
Meanwhile the Vice President-elect ,Yemi Osinbajo, was absent at the farewell service which would have seen the President officially handing over the chapel to him.
Speaking to journalists after the Sunday service, the Aso Rock Chaplain, Obioma Onwuzurumba, said the Vice President-elect had been duly invited but was unfortunately absent. He sent a representative in his stead.
Mr. Jonathan, a Christian from South South Nigeria, lost his re-election bid to Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from North West Nigeria. While Mr. Jonathan’s Vice President is a Muslim, Mr. Buhari’s is a Christian cleric.