Jonathan Prays For Buhari’s Personal Fulfillment As He Turns 72

President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 election, General Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 72nd birthday anniversary.

According to a statement by the special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, President Jonathan in a congratulatory letter addressed to Buhari prayed that God Almighty should grant him many more years of good health and personal fulfillment.

“As you mark your 72nd birthday anniversary, I write on behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to extend warm felicitations to you. I join your family, friends, and well-wishers to thank God for your life and to pray that He continues to guide, guard and prosper you even as He blesses you with many more years of abounding health and personal fulfillment,” President Jonathan wrote, wishing Buhari a very happy birthday.

The former head of state was born on December 17, 1942. He joined the army in 1962. He became the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources under then-Head of State General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1976. Before then, he served as Governor of the newly created North-Eastern State during the regime of Murtala Mohammed. He later became head of the newly created Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 1977. Buhari was selected to lead the country by middle and high-ranking military officers after a successful military coup d’etat that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983, but he himself overthrown in a coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida and other members of the ruling Supreme Military Council (SMC) on August 27, 1985.

He has tried to return the highest seat of leadership in Nigeria since 2003, four years after the country’s return to democracy, but he had failed each time. Buhari will run for presidency for the fourth time in 2015.