2015: Everywhere will be hot from January 2 – President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said ‘everywhere will be hot from January 2.’

He added that it was normal for public office holders to be criticized while he still in office.

According to him, he would be commended after leaving office by the time his achievements were being compared with others.

Speaking while receiving a delegation of traditional rulers and leaders from Bayelsa State, led by Governor Seriake Dickson, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mr. Jonathan said:

“The New Year is full of challenges for Nigerians because of the early elections. Everywhere will be hot from January 2. I assure you that I am here by the grace of God with the willingness of Nigerians. If Nigerians say I shouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t have been here. We contested election in 2011 and Nigerians voted for us. I am your own, if I don’t do well, the shame will be on you. If I do well, you will have some kind of pride. I will do my best”.

“These days, there are all kinds of stories. It is all over the world, leaders are being lambasted, especially with the social media now.

“People use what knowledge had created for negative reasons. Just as I was told that the person who invented dynamite regretted that invention because he thought he was coming up with something to solve human problem, but when he got to know about the level of destruction: human lives that are being blown up because of explosion, the man regretted that invention.

“What is supposed to be used for the common good was turned to negative purposes. I always say that I will not even expect praises now because hardly do people praise serving leaders. It is when you leave, people will begin to know.

“When you leave, people will begin to compare what you have done over the period vis-a-vis what others have done, then, they will compare you with whoever takes over. Probably that is the time some people will begin to say good about you. But I will do my best to make sure that we do change things.

“We are trying to create an enabling environment for our economy to thrive irrespective of the challenges we are having in the petroleum sector and the security challenges we have. I will do my best so that by the time I will leave, you will be able to say that when our son was there, he served the country well so that one day, another son of Bayelsa may be given another opportunity to serve Nigerians‎”, he said.