By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona

PEOPLE’S Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed that his administration is working very hard in collabor-ation with the country’s nei-ghbours to rout terror.

President Jonathan made this pledge on two occasions during separate visits to two different churches, the Redeemed Christ-ian Church of God, RCCG, and the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, LCCRM, which were holding two special spiritual programmes while acknowledging the sterling contributions of the Nigerian Church in the war against insurgency in the country.

He was at the Redemption Camp of RCCG for the February edition of the Holy Ghost Service titled; Peace by still,” on Friday where the man of God prayed God to give him divine wisdom, knowledge and divine under-standing for him to the nation aright, adding that God’s will alone be done in Nigeria and at The Lord’s Chosen headquarters, Ijesha which was holding a unique crusade titled: “From sorrow to joy”.

The RCCG visit offered the president an opportunity to meet the APC vice presidential can-didate, Pastor Yemi Osinbajo who he greeted warmly with a handshake while he was called upon to make his brief remarks.

Jonathan appreciated the large of worshippers for “your constant prayers for the land. We are close to the general elections but I am not here to campaign for election as you know very well that Daddy G.O. will not allow the altar for such thing. Once again I thank the RCCG for your constant prayers.”

Lamenting the security cha-llenges in the country, mostly the unceasing terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria, President Jonathan said: “As we all know that every human being passes through one challenge or the other. The terrorist activities we are passing through is an un-fortunate issue, that as a nation, we are experiencing such but as a government, we are trying our best to curtain it. With the help and collaboration of all we will soon smile as a nation.”

“My purpose tonight is to ask you Christians at this progra-mme to continue praying for peace in our country,” he appeal-ed, while thanking the wife of the General Overseer, Mummy Folu Adeboye who had earlier led the congregation for a session of prayers for the peace of the nation.

Less than 24 hours after that visit President Jonathan was at the Lord’s Chosen where he also commended the leadership of the church for their prayers against the rampaging insurgents caus-ing havoc in the country.

According to the president; “I am here because I quite app-reciate what the General Over-seer and members of the church are doing. You have been doing a great spiritual work that has helped not only the members of the church, but the whole country.

“Our country, just like other parts of the world, is facing threats, insecurity…even the powerful nations, you have seen terror attacks in those countries. So, the issue of terror being perpetrated by religious extrem-ists is now a major threat to the world and our own country is also receiving a fair share of that threat. It could have been worse than that but because people like you are praying everyday for God to help.

“We all remember that the bombing started from Abuja with the United Nations building; the Police Head-quarters, where you will not expect any nonsense was bombed. Of course, Army ba-rracks were bombed before this last Nyanya and others. The idea was to start from the centre, the capital of the country and spread to other parts of the country. Criminals were being moved from all parts of the country to hold the whole country down.

“But because people like you have really done wonderfully well, praying for us and the country for peace to reign. That is why today, when we are talking about terror, you are only talking about states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. It was not like that before, it was in all the whole country,” he stressed.

He then pledged that his government’s commitment to rout insurgency, stressing that in collaboration with other friendly neighbouring nations, the issue of insurgency would soon be a thing of the past.

On the two occasions, the two church leaders, Pastor Adeboye and Pastor Muoka asked their separate congregations to pray for the president for divine wisdom, knowledge and under-standing to lead the nation aright.

In unison, they concluded by asking for the perfect will of God alone to be done in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for peace before, during and after the elections and that no blood will be shed.