He stressed that forgiveness and reconciliation were essential for political stability, national cohesion, and development.
He made the remarks in Abuja during a requiem mass in honour of the late Chief Audu Ogbeh.
He said: “Chief Ogbeh was a man who did not seek revenge. He believed the past should be left behind and that we must keep moving forward.
“In that sense, he was just like me. If you hurt me today, I will forgive you. I don’t carry grudges against anybody. I believe the past is past, and I move on,” Jonathan said.
He recalled that his friendship with the late politician began during his time as deputy governor, when Ogbeh served as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“I didn’t know Chief Ogbeh until I became a deputy governor when he was serving as National Chairman of the PDP. At that time, deputy governors were often seen as spare tyres, but he treated me as a close friend. Whenever I visited Abuja, I would go to see him, and we always had good conversations. He was such a kind and generous person,” Jonathan said.
He added that their cordial relationship endured even after he became President.
“Whenever he wanted to see me, he would come, and sometimes, we would spend up to an hour discussing national issues,” he noted.
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