Centenary: Jonathan has restored Nigeria's unity – PDP

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended

President Goodluck Jonathan for the successful Centenary Celebrations

saying the events have ushered in a new and beautiful era of oneness,

brotherliness, unity and peace in the nation.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on

Saturday said the party is very proud of President Jonathan for organizing

the events which “not only succeeded in putting the nation on the

international arena to showcase our best but also fostered unity and

genuine reconciliation among our leaders and the people.”

“The Centenary celebrations have ushered in a new era. They have rekindled

the Nigerian spirit in all of us. They have revived our sense of

patriotism; our inner love for one another as one people under God.

“The Centenary Concert not only reminded us of our common root but also

pointed us to our rich heritage which comes alive only when we combine our

energies as a people. It showed we are indeed one people determined to

succeed and that our divisions are as ephemeral as they are artificial.

“The PDP and indeed all well meaning Nigerians appreciate President

Goodluck Jonathan for organizing the centenary prayers and the Award Nite

which for the first time in contemporary history brought together all our

living past leaders under one roof despite their differences, perceived or

real.
“Nigerians were moved and their hopes of a peaceful great nation was

rekindled when they saw former President Shehu Shagari, General Muhammadu

Buhari, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdusalami Abubakar come

together. Nigerians were moved when they saw General Olusegun Obasanjo and

President Goodluck Jonathan together irrespective of their perceived

misunderstandings. This shows that our differences and disagreements as a

nation do not get to the bones and can always be resolved.

“We remain eternally grateful to President Goodluck Jonathan for using the

event not only to awaken the spirit of patriotism by honouring outstanding

Nigerians but also to engender genuine reconciliation among our leaders; a

feat which has opened the portals for a new era of peace

and unity among the people irrespective of political, religious, ethnic

and sectional affiliations.
“We also salute our leaders for this show of statesmanship and urge that

such understanding, maturity and patriotism should trickle down to all

other leaders at all levels. We cannot agree less with Nigerians in their

insistence that this would not have been possible but for the humility,

candour and the forthrightness of President Goodluck Jonathan in handling

national issues in spite of the challenges we face as a nation.

“Those who believed that the Centenary is not worth celebrating can now

see their mistake. Through the Centenary celebrations, Nigeria is now in a

new era where brotherly love, peace and unity have been revived. We have

moved into a new era where we must eschew all forms of bitterness, crucify

all that divide us and focus only on those things that bind us together as

one people.
“The entire world is watching us. We are now in a period where the unity,

prosperity and happiness of our people must be our collective priority;

where the shedding of the blood of the innocent must stop and where our

dear nation and our people are no longer defined by political, tribal,

religious and sectional considerations but as a united people with a

common destiny.
“Our nation has for long been under attack by sectional interest and this

is the time to silence such interests and build a strong and united

country. The challenges we face are transitory and cannot defeat our

collective spirit. We must learn to support our leaders and in this

regard, our criticisms must be constructive and all forms of bigotry must

end.
“We therefore call on all Nigerians, irrespective of political

affiliations to stand up and defend our common destiny as a nation. If

you have ever benefitted from the soil of this country; if you have ever

drank from the waters of Nigeria; if you have ever been refreshed by the

cool and fresh air God has blessed us with; if you have ever eaten of the

fruit of this land, then the time has come for you to give back to the

land. Let us stand up and collectively establish and defend the unity and

greatness of our dear nation so that labours of our heros past shall not

and shall not be in vain.”