No individual or group can upturn Nigeria, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that no individual or group of persons can upturn Nigeria.

The president was speaking at his residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when Sariake Dickson, the Bayelsa State governor, led his kinsmen to felicitate with the President Jonathan on his 57th birthday.

Jonathan had earlier in the day cut a cake and held special prayers to mark his birthday.

The president called on Nigerians to disregard the statements by some Nigerians who had threatened the unity of the nation.

However, admitting that Nigeria has its own fair share of challenges, Jonathan assured that the nation will surely overcome them.

“If there are people making statements threatening the survival of this country, especially some people who probably have constitutional immunity and are abusing that privilege, that is why most Nigerians are saying that immunity clause be removed because some people don’t merit it, since they abuse it.

“Some people are making remarks that are more or less treasonable; don’t be worried, nobody can upturn this country. This country must continue and we’ll not give up to blackmail by anybody, we will do our best and Nigeria must survive these temporary setbacks like Boko Haram and other security challenges”, he said.

Speaking further on the challenges facing the country, Jonathan said, “I always say that I don’t know whether the State of Israel has ever known peace for one day, but they are moving, they are developing, go to America today, most of the millionaires are Jews, but they are always fighting to survive. So, that we have challenges should not be misconstrued that the country will come to an end.”

He added that “we will surely overcome those challenges, and this country must move (forward), this country must unite.”

Thanking his Bayelsa kinsmen for coming, the president noted that he was in government to serve Nigeria and “you are here to support me, to identify with me as my people.”

If I’m here to serve this country and you don’t give me this support, of course definitely people will not take me serious, they will say even his people have rejected him.”

“So I thank him (Dickson) today for coming, for gathering our royal fathers from all the kingdoms in Bayelsa State to come in this manner, I remain most grateful to all of you”, he added.

Governor Sariake Dickson of Bayelsa State prayed God to continue to renew the president’s strength to serve the nation, saying that the people decided to come and express their solidarity and support as the president marks his birthday.

Speaking earlier during the prayer session marking his birthday, President Jonathan also reassured that the challenges facing the nation will be overcome.