3rd April, 2015
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) FCT Chapter, said on Thursday that God will exult President Goodluck Jonathan for the decision he took to keep the nation united by accepting the results of the 2015 presidential polls.
Chairman of the association, Rev. Dr Israel Akanji, said this when he led members to break the Holy Thursday fast at 6p.m. with Jonathan at the Aso Rock Villa.
Akanji said it was customary for the association to break the Lenten fast with the President and that CAN came to salute the courage and heroism of Jonathan following the decision that he took on the polls.
“For us, it appears like the life of Christ who came into this world to sacrifice Himself in order that we will be reconciled to God so that we will be blessed.
“We see Mr President’s action, acceptance of the verdict of the election to be a heroic kind of action from him; a very sacrificial one for the peace of Nigeria, for the progress of Nigeria.
“It is a great thing he has done and God has promised to elevate people who do things like this just like Christ laid down His life and was exulted by God.
“Whoever makes sacrifice will be exulted by God. That is what the President has done and that is what every Nigerian should do: be sacrificial for the sake of Nigeria and for others.
“And God will exult you if you do that,” he added.
He said the CAN officials were at the Villa on behalf of Nigerian Christians in breaking the fast with Jonathan.
The Executive Secretary of the Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr John-Kennedy Okpara, said the breaking of fast with the nation’s president was a yearly tradition of the Christian faithful.
He said the Christian leaders gathered on Holy Thursday to perform the ritual “because the day is very important in the Christian calendar.”
He said the event was used to pray for the president and the nation and that in spite of the results of the elections, Nigerians should give thanks to God in every situation.
He also said that God had given an injunction to Christians to always be prepared because “my ways are not your ways.”
He said that people might have a different opinion on the elections “but God has the final say, and that is what happened in the case of Nigeria”.
“He has decided and all of us have to obey and that was why the president spoke to the president-elect in that spirit as Jesus Our Lord has taught us that we must accept every situation and give thanks to Him.
“We must also give thanks to Nigeria. We pray that Nigeria will always remain strong and forever in the eyes of God.”