Emir of Lafia to Jonathan: Power is transient

•Says Al-Makura an amiable gov The Emir of Lafia, Dr Isa Mustapha Agwai, has told President Goodluck Jonathan that power is both transient and temporary. The emir spoke at his palace in Lafia, Nasarawa State Capital, today when the president paid a courtesy call on him to seek a royal blessing for his re-election bid. […]

•Says Al-Makura an amiable gov

The Emir of Lafia, Dr Isa Mustapha Agwai, has told President Goodluck Jonathan that power is both transient and temporary.

The emir spoke at his palace in Lafia, Nasarawa State Capital, today when the president paid a courtesy call on him to seek a royal blessing for his re-election bid.

Agwai spoke in the presence of Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Adamu Muazu, among others who accompanied Jonathan. All members of the Nasarawa State Traditional Council and all district heads of Lafia were also in attendance.

The emir also told Jonathan that God alone confers ‎power and leadership on whoever He wills at anytime He pleases, saying that should be the guiding principle as Jonathan and other candidates campaigned across the nation.

The traditional ruler also called for free, fair, credible and peaceful general elections in the country this year.

He said, “The forthcoming elections should and it is indeed a lesson for all that leadership is both temporary and transient and that the only enduring and lasting leadership is that of God Almighty from whom all power, authority and majesty derives.

“He alone confers ‎power and leadership on whosoever He wills and at whatsoever time He pleases. This should be the guiding principle as you (Jonathan) and other aspirants criss-cross the length and breadth of our nation canvassing for the mandate to lead. We do not have any doubt, however, that the key political actors have come to terms with this reality with the recent signing of peace pact in Abuja”.

The monarch also emphasised that the will of the people is supreme, adding that any purposeful government should derive its mandate only from the people as it is the fundamental tenet of democracy.

Agwai thanked the Federal Government over the establishment of the Federal University, Lafia, the ongoing construction of the Federal Secretariat, the construction of the Mararaba-Akunza-Awe Road and the ongoing construction of the permanent branch office of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He, however, urged the president intervene in what he described as the ravaging effects of erosion in many parts of Nasarawa State as well as “the deplorable state” of Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto-Abaji, Lafia-Shendam’ Akwanga-N/Eggon and Akwanga-Wamba-Fadam Karshi Federal Roads.

The emir described the governor of the state, Umar Tanko Almakura, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as amiable.

He said, “Permit me at this juncture Mr. President to pledge our alloyed and absolute loyalty to the Federal Government as admonished and ‎encouraged by our amiable governor, Umar Tanko Almakura”.

In his remarks, the president said he visited the emir to seek his royal blessing for the February 14 presidential election.

Jonathan, who assured his host that the Federal Government would continue to work with Nasarawa State to bring more development to the state, noted that his administration had done well for Nasarawa State in the areas of education, agriculture and others.

The president added that because of its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory, the state would be massively transformed in few years’ time.

Earlier, Muazu had told the emir that Jonathan and his delegation were at the palace to seek royal blessing for the president’s re-election’s bid.