The Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, has stated that majority of Nigerians who voted President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan shows that victory in the April 16, 2011, Presidential Elections was God’s design.
President Jonathan was declared winner of the elections by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, as he recorded absolute majority of the votes cast polling 22,495,187 votes, and meeting the constitutional requirement of 25 per cent of votes cast in 31 states of the country.
Dr. Ayakoroma, who spoke during the weekly NICO Praise Fellowship, which took place in the NICO premises at 23 Kigoma Street, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, on 20th April, 2011, added that humility on the part of President Jonathan and his acceptability by generality of Nigerians were also responsible for the massive votes he polled from all parts of the country.
Taking his text from Psalms 127 verse 1, the Executive Secretary recalled that right from the time when he was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa up to his becoming the President, Dr. Jonathan has always placed God first, always allowing God to be the bedrock of whatever he is involved in.
According to him: “In Psalms 127 verse 1, it is said that, ‘Except the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who builds it. Except the Lord keeps the city, the Watchman waketh but in vain.’ I can tell you that His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has always allowed God to take control of everything in his life. He is very humble and unassuming. It is because of such qualities that God is with him. He was voted by overwhelming majority of Nigerians. As you know one with God is with majority. In this regard he has allowed the Lord to build for him. He did not sit down thinking he will win because he is the President. He went round the country to campaign as he humbly appealed to people to vote him. ”
Calling on the members of staff of NICO to emulate such humble spirit and allow God to be the builder of whatever they want to build in life, Dr. Ayakoroma said such humility is exemplified in Jesus Christ, adding that “it is only when somebody allows Jesus to build his life that he gets to the top.”
Disclosing that he is a living witness of God’s glory, because of his own humility and closeness to God from his days as the Executive Director of Bayelsa Council for Arts and Culture, the NICO boss urged staff to proclaim the Lord as their personal saviour, even as they get close to God because: “it is only through Jesus Christ anybody who wants to succeed in life can pass to get to the Almighty God, hence getting to the top.”
The fellowship was attended by the Director, Research and Documentation, Mr. Festus Ihenetu, the Acting Director, Finance and Account, Mr. Godson Ordu, Assistant Director (Protocol), Mr. Alex Omijie, among other members of Staff.
Nwagbo Nnenyelike and Jonathan Nicodemus
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