Former President Goodluck Jonathan has restated his belief in forgiveness, saying he holds no grudges despite past political battles or personal attacks.
Jonathan made the remarks in Abuja on Wednesday, September 24, during a requiem mass for former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan praised Ogbeh as a leader defined by humility and a forgiving spirit.
“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.
“In that sense, he was just like me. If you hurt me today, I will forgive you. I don’t carry grudges against anybody. I believe the past is past, and I move on,” Jonathan said.
READ ALSO: Jonathan: Betrayals Within My Circle Led to 2015 Election Defeat
Recalling their bond, he noted that he first met Ogbeh when he was deputy governor of Bayelsa State and Ogbeh was National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Despite the perception of deputy governors as “spare tyres,” Jonathan said Ogbeh treated him as a true friend, and their cordiality continued even when he became president.
Jonathan recounted how Ogbeh often visited him for long discussions on national issues, describing him as a kind and generous man.
He urged politicians to emulate Ogbeh’s example of forgiveness and bridge-building, qualities he said were vital to mending political divisions and advancing national unity.
Ogbeh, who died on August 9, 2025, in Abuja, served as PDP National Chairman between 2001 and 2005, and later as Minister of Agriculture under President Muhammadu Buhari, where he championed key reforms.