Jonathan: I Don’t Hold Grudges Against People

…Ex-President Pays Tribute to Late Chief Audu Ogbeh at Abuja Requiem Mass

By Our Reporter

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said he does not hold grudges against people, even when hurt by their actions, stressing that forgiveness is vital for national cohesion and development.

Jonathan made the remark on Wednesday evening at a requiem mass in Abuja held in honour of the late Chief Audu Ogbeh, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), minister, politician, and farmer.

Paying tribute, the former President described Ogbeh as a humble and forgiving individual whose life reflected reconciliation rather than resentment.

“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,” Jonathan said. “In that sense, he was just like me. If you hurt me today, I will forgive you. I don’t carry grudges against people. I believe the past is past—and I move on.”

Reflecting on his personal ties with the late politician, Jonathan recalled meeting Ogbeh during his time as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, when Ogbeh served as PDP chairman.

“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,” he said.

Jonathan added that their relationship remained warm 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.

The former President urged Nigerian politicians to emulate the values Ogbeh embodied—humility, forgiveness, and the ability to build bridges across divides.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, who passed away recently, is remembered as a farmer, technocrat, and politician who played a significant role in Nigeria’s democratic journey and agricultural development.