Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has called on Nigerians to resist
the ‘pull of ego that may make the people want to purse a regional or
narrow agenda’.
Dr. Jonathan made the comments while delivering a lecture titled
‘Diversity as Our Bridge to Tomorrow’ at the annual gala dinner of
Nigerian Lawyers Association in the USA.
Then former President while delivering his lecture said he never placed
ethnic sentiments above his choice of appointments during his tenure and
urged Nigerians to eschew ethnic and religious bigotry.
“Nigeria is for all Nigerians. We must resist the pull of ego that may
make us want to purse a regional or narrow agenda.
“Most of my principal aides in government hailed from different ethnic
nationalities
“We never placed ethno-religious interests above merits or individual
values when making decisions”.
Jonathan also informed the audience that during his tenure, he ensured
freedom of speech was respected and did not jail anyone for speaking or
writing anything about him.
“No matter what my critic said about me, I ensured thet there was both
freedom of speech and freedom after the speech.
“Under my watch not a single Nigerian was sent to prison because of
anything they wrote or said about me or the Administration that I headed.”