We plead that people we offended should forgive us – Jonathan

As he heads of out office, President Jonathan has delved into apology-mode, by asking for forgiveness of all the persons he may have offended in his years in power.

The President says his administration has done things that shouldn’t have been done, however, adding that those things were not done deliberately.

On Sunday, at a special thanksgiving service organised by the Aso Villa Chapel to bid him and his immediate family farewell, Jonathan said he has done his best even though his actions may be sometime misunderstood.

He said:

“No system is perfect. Every human system must have an element of imperfection. For the past eight years, we have been here because, my transition from Vice President to President was gradual and complicated.

“When the President (late President Umaru Yar’Adua) had a major health challenge, I ran the affairs of the country for sometime. That was even before the doctrine of necessity made me acting president. Then I took over at first and conducted the 2011 election which I won and I had to run my full four years as an elected president. So, for the eight years that one has been here, definitely one is not perfect.”

“We have certainly done things we probably shouldn’t, but we didn’t do those things deliberately. So for those who we have offended, it was not deliberate, it was circumstances of the office. 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. Today we are talking about leaving. It is only God that knows why things go the way they do.”

“I believe some of you may even come closer and even do more meaningful things together when we leave office. The office is quite challenging; some of you may desire to see us but I believe that as we move forward, things will get better. I don’t believe that it is only in government that one can do things; outside it (government), you can do a lot.”

“The richest people in the world don’t even serve in government. (Aliko) Dangote has never been in government, yet he is doing so much. Bill Gates too has never been in government, yet he is the richest man in the world. So outside government, a lot of things happen; It is for us to be committed and be focused.”