…HE WAS A GREAT DEMOCRAT - JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan has said the only way the country could move towards political and economic development is for the people to tolerate one another and respect opposing views.

The president spoke yesterday in Kaduna at the memorial lecture in honour of the late Sardauna of Sokoto and premier of the former Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Jonathan said the late sage was able to perform the feat for which he was being celebrated because in his official capacity 'the late premier was well known to be a great democrat, who avoided taking unilateral decisions. He believed and practically, worked within pragmatics of governments. Those who worked with him testified that he always consulted his colleagues and the relevant public officers in all official matters.'

The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, said the legacies that the late Sardauna promoted like 'good working relationship between his ministers and the civil servants no longer exist.'

He maintained that, 'These qualities I can testify are no longer available in the civil service, what we have is lack of sincerity, which is below 20 per cent now, greed and quest for wealth, lust, irresponsibility and of course intolerance of other people view weather on religious. Unless we continue to tell ourselves the truth, we will not come out of this shame and we will continue to deceive ourselves and deceive the likes of Sardauna of blessed memories.