PILGRIMS AT THE SIDE OF RIVER JORDAN, THE PLACE WHERE JESUS CHRIST WAS BAPTISED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST 0N SATURDAY. PHOTO: NAN
President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday in Jerusalem promised to stabilise Nigeria’s electoral process.
Jonathan, who made the promise at an interdenominational service for 2013 Nigerian pilgrims, said that the current process was better than the previous ones.
“We promise that we must do a number of things differently, we have challenges in our electoral system but at least it is better than what it was yesterday.”
He said that although the country was experiencing challenges, Nigerians had been privileged to pray to God at this period.
“Let me reassure you that even though our nation is passing through challenges this period, God has made it possible for us to pray at a period like this.’’
He decried the high level of vandalism of petroleum pipelines and electric poles by criminals in the country.
The president said that his administration would continue to improve the living condition of Nigerians.
He enjoined Nigerians to continue to pray for the country, saying that evil forces would never succeed in their evil ways.
“I assure you that things will continue to improve for the better as Nigeria will no longer be the same.”
He expressed gratitude for the Yitshak Rabin Family Award for Good Leadership, conferred on him and for the naming of the Yitshak Rabin School in Port Harcourt after him.
Jonathan said that Nigeria and the state of Israel would continue to be friends.
Mr Jonh-Kennedy Okpara, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, said that over 30,000 Nigerian pilgrims were currently transported to the Holy land annually, compared to 4,000 pilgrims transported five years ago.
He advised pilgrims to see pilgrimage as a time for spiritual rebirth and a divine encounter with God.
Mrs Josephine Zinder, President of Tailor Made Tours, said that the company had decorated 50,000 Nigerians as Jerusalem Pilgrims (JP) in the past seven years.
Tailor Made Tours is an Israeli tour company, based in Tel Aviv.
The high point of the occasion was the decoration of Jonathan with the JP title and the conferment of the Yitshak Rabin Award for Good Leadership Award on him.
Other dignitaries, who were decorated with the JP title include Govs.Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Liyel Imoke of Cross River and Jonah Jang of Plateau, among others.
