Jonathan returns to Redemption Camp; Adeboye prays God to give him wisdom

President says too early to talk about 2015
By Sam Eyoboka and Olayinka Latona
TWO years after his presidential electioneering campaign took him to the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, President Goodluck Jonathan returned, Friday, to give thanks to the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and asked for more prayers to avert the numerous challenges facing his administration.
Pastor Adeboye-led the mammoth crowd at the 15th Holy Ghost Congress of the church to pray to God to give the president wisdom, knowledge and courage to lead the nation aright, noting: “God should direct him so that the glory of Nigeria will be restored in his time”.
The General Overseer added: “God, please give him the divine enablement, courage; Lord lead him (president) aright during his tenure, let the glory of Nigeria be restored. Even before we enter the year, let the tide turn around for good for Nigeria. God let him succeed maximally and let his tomorrow be bright.” There was a resounding chorus of AMEN in the congregation.
Earlier, the president, accompanied by the Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and his chief of staff, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, thanked the leadership of the RCCG and other other Christian leaders in the country for their unceasing prayers which, he said, had kept the nation going.
“In 2010, I came to that year’s edition of the Congress where Pastor Adeboye and the congregation prayed for me, he prayed for the country and you all prayed for us and at the end of the day the 2011 elections were successful. I have to sincerely thank you for that. I would have been here for last year’s programme but, because of state duties, I was unable, so I asked one of my ministers to represent me,” Jonathan added.
“I had to be here this year no matter what. “It will not be fair on my part because, when I was campaigning, I came to you, you prayed for me, you worked for me and I succeeded and immediately after the election I began to backslide. I feel it is not right.
“So, my coming here today is to thank all of you here and to specially thank our leader, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, and our Mama   for the good works God has been using them to do. This is the 15th edition of the Holy Ghost Congress and I think the 60th anniversary of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and, of course, the journey on earth of our Papa is about 70 years; so I said let me use this opportunity to share this happy moment and blessing with you. And also to require that you continue to pray for our country.
“As a nation, we are passing through our own challenges and, I repeat, there is nothing that is above the power of God. That I am here today, speaking to this congregation as the president of the Nigeria, is a good example of what God can do, because, without divine providence, I wouldn’t have been here as the president of this country.”
Jonathan is convinced that with the fervent prayers of the men of God in this country, there is hope that the nation would scale  the hurdles before it in no distance future.
He challenged religious leaders in the country, especially those who have access to him, “to continue to reach out to us to advise us where we are going wrong. We are committed to change things and that is that why even during the elections I told Nigerians that, though I was contesting, I made sure that the right thing is done and we did the right thing and we will continue to do the right thing.”
On decaying infrastructure, the president said “ the power sector is improving gradually. We have our security challenges, but we will surmount it. There are other infrastructural issues….I don’t want to use this platform to say things otherwise people will say I am here for another campaign. No, I am not here for another campaign.”
On the speculation that  might seek re-election in 2015, Jonathan said: “People ask me whether I would contest 2015 and I tell them it is too early to talk about 2015 elections.”
Culled: Vanguard