President Goodluck Jonathan has asked Nigerians to endure the effects of the current drop in global oil prices, saying the nation will survive it.
Mr. Jonathan, while speaking at the Christ Apostolic Church in Abuja on Sunday, said the oil price drop is nothing compared to 2008 to 2009 when oil was sold for $40 per barrel.
“Of course, if there is a drop in oil price, it will affect us in one way or the other. We tell our people to bear with us. It has happened before in 2008, 2009 that was almost about $40, we survived as a nation.
“This time, by all predictions, it will not even go as low as that, we will surely survive it. The economic team is working very hard to stabilise it and we believe that although there may be temporary inconveniences, it will definitely not bring the economy down” he said.
The President told the congregation that he decided to go round churches in Abuja to thank them for their prayers. He said even as the challenges facing the country increased during his tenure, Nigeria’s current woes would have been worse but for prayers.
“With the prayers you continue to offer to God, God will see us through” he said, adding that it was worse in the bible days.
The President said 2015 “is a tempting year for us” since election year in third world countries is always turbulent.
“All that I will request of you is to continue to pray for us politicians, myself and other politicians from all political parties, for God to guide us in our utterances and what we do so that we will not sacrifice the lives of Nigerians because of our ambitions.
“Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. Pray to God to give us that wisdom and mind to make sure we conduct ourselves in a way that will not set the country ablaze because of our own personal ambition.
“There are so many good Nigerians that can hold the offices we are occupying or aspiring to occupy, it is by privilege of God that we are here in positions to ask for the mandates of Nigerians.
“None of us should begin to think that he is the best person to be anywhere from state houses of assembly to the president. There are a thousand and one Nigerians that are super qualified more than those people who are even aspiring to occupy offices.
“The development of Nigeria is what all of us want. If every aspirant has the mind to develop the people, the. You do not need to kill or maim people to get there.
“You do not need to kill the people you want to develop in order to get to the office you want except if you are aspiring for that office for a different reason.
“If the idea is to help the people, grow the economy and make the people happy, you won’t want to kill, you won’t want to maim or burn down houses, vehicles and property.
“Human beings may see things differently but God can guide us, ” he added.
Mr. Jonathan said his administration is coming up with policies to move the country forward; and subtly campaigned for votes in the coming elections saying: “those who are taking pains to look at what we are doing will agree with us that if we progress as a nation steadily in this manner, in the next four or five years, this country will be a better place.”
The President admitted that the results of his “policies” are not obvious but said “God willing”, job opportunities will continue to increase and many more young people will be engaged.
