Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has said he holds no grudges against anyone for past actions taken against him, stressing that forgiveness and reconciliation are indispensable for Nigeria’s political stability and national development.
Jonathan spoke on Wednesday evening in Abuja at a requiem mass held in honour of former Minister and one-time PDP National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
Describing Ogbeh as a man of humility and forgiveness, Jonathan said the late statesman’s attitude to life mirrored his own.
“Chief Ogbeh was a man who did not seek revenge. He believed the past should be left behind and that we must keep moving forward. In that sense, he was just like me. If you hurt me today, I will forgive you. I don’t carry grudges against anybody. I believe the past is past, and I move on,” Jonathan stated.
He recalled first meeting Ogbeh during his tenure as deputy governor when Ogbeh served as PDP National Chairman, noting that the late politician treated him with respect at a time deputy governors were often regarded as “spare tyres.”
“Whenever I visited Abuja, I would go to see him, and we always had good conversations. He was such a kind and generous person,” Jonathan said, adding that their friendship remained cordial throughout his presidency.
The former President urged Nigerian politicians to emulate Ogbeh’s virtues of humility, forgiveness, and inclusiveness, stressing that such qualities are vital to building national cohesion and unity.
