Former President, Goodluck Jonathan and Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri, have urged politicians in the state to unite and eschew enmity irrespective of political affiliations.
Read Also: Appeal Court Diri’s Election As Bayelsa Governor
They spoke during the 9th Bayelsa State annual thanksgiving day celebration at Ecumenical Centre, Igbogene, Yenagoa, the state capital, yesterday.
Jonathan, who was attending the thanksgiving after years of absence, urged the political class to learn from Christians, who despite belonging to various denominations, all anchor their faith in God through Christ.
‘They (Christians) may have their differences in terms of method and approach. In Bayelsa, we the political class should know that we get into politics primarily for the interest of the state and the people. So, no matter our political divisions, no matter the political parties we belong, let us know that because of the interest of the state, we must unite.
At the end of elections, the remaining thing is governance and supporting those who by divine providence have won. We should not continue enmity among ourselves irrespective of our political parties. As long as you are a Bayelsan, we must work together, we must love ourselves.
The common interest of Bayelsa State must be retained, irrespective of our political parties. If we continue to work together and put the interest of the state before any other interest, surely Bayelsa State will develop,” Jonathan said.
Diri seized the opportunity of the occasion to again extend an olive branch to his political opponents and urged that as politicians they should be building bridges instead of burning them.
He said before the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa was there.
‘This is not the time for us to continue in litigations; this is the time for us to build and bring out ideas to the table. If you have an idea of a blue economy bring it to the table, we are ready to accept it. If you have an idea of green economy, bring it to the table,’ he said.
In his sermon entitled God of Miracles, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeem Chritaian Church of God, prayed for Bayelsa State for the master key that open doors of breakthroughs and goodness.
‘I always feel at home when I am in Bayelsa State. Let me rejoice with our governor for this thanksgiving and that this joy shall last forever in Jesus name,’ he said.
SUN, NG
