Posted by By Sule Lazarus, Senior Correspondent, Yola on
Adamawa Governor, Boni Haruna, could not fight back tears on Sunday night when former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, Paul Tahar, and other clerics led a congregation to pray against his impeachment.
Adamawa Governor, Boni Haruna, could not fight back tears on Sunday night when former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, Paul Tahar, and other clerics led a congregation to pray against his impeachment.
Haruna came to the EYN Church in Yola, venue of the Nigeria Prays programme in the North-East, at 3 p.m., a few minutes after the arrival of Gowon, the chairman of the occasion.
He stirred emotions as he was involved in the activities, and then broke down in tears when Tahar mounted the pulpit alongside Gowon and the congregation to pray against his sack.
Haruna confessed to the gathering that the impact of the prayer and the programme overwhelmed him, particularly being the last session of "Nigeria Prays" he would attend as a governor.
Gowon commended him as the only governor, Muslim or Christian, who participated in the scheme from the beginning to the end, despite his tight schedule.
He rebuked political leaders for allowing corruption to eat deep into the national fabric, and stressed that injustice is being perpetrated against God and man everyday by politicians.
For Nigeria to become a stable, strong, and virile nation where every citizen can prosper, the people must shun corruption and other vices, Gowon stressed, as true democracy can only flourish where there is truth, and respect for the rule of law and for human dignity.
He urged political leaders to overcome their selfish interest and seek genuine reconciliation, as well as forgiveness, so they can be restored to God; as the renewal of love among the leaders would enhance, rehabilitate, restore, and reconstruct the country.
"Nigerians should commit the elections and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to special prayers, so that the activities of the wicked would not affect the country during the elections. Nigeria is again at a crossroads politically, which is crucial to the corporate existence of the country.
"Christians and Muslims should learn to coexist and be tolerant of their religious differences, as it is the will of God who created all mankind. Muslims and Christians must desist from taking up arms against one another. Learn to be your brother's keeper.
"The instability cause by religious riot or bigotry is counter-productive, inhuman, and uncivilised in the modern world, and can only hinder the development of the country."
Before the congregation went into a full prayer session, Haruna read the only lesson, taken from Isaiah 15:1-15.
He told the congregation that he would devote his life to the work of God after the expiration of his tenure, as he is encouraged by Gowon's commitment to the course of God and humanity.
"I will leave office with a clear conscience, knowing that I have put in my best," Haruna stated.
He had earlier expressed optimism that the plot to impeach him would fail because it is the device of a clique which is not after the interest of the entire people of the state.
He told delegations from Demsa, Guyuk, Mubi, and Shelleng Councils, which paid him solidarity visits in Yola on Monday that he has no ill feeling against the legislators who signed the impeachment notice.
They were coerced, he said, recounting that he had had a good relationship with the Assembly for nearly eight years, until the recent troubles fomented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level.
"My detractors even went to the extent of saying that I absconded to Cameroon after my arrival from the overseas trip. I am not a runaway governor. I cannot abandon my electorate," Haruna stated.