Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for an urgent national stakeholders’ engagement to address what he described as a troubling trend of serving governors, senior public officials, party leaders and other powerful political actors converging on states where off-cycle elections are being conducted.
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Jonathan, in a statement personally signed by him on Tuesday in Abuja, warned that the growing practice, recently witnessed during governorship elections in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States, could place undue pressure on voters and institutions and, if left unchecked, threaten Nigeria’s fragile democracy.
While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties and the people of Osun State for the peaceful conduct of the governorship election, the former president stressed that political mobilisation on election day must have clear boundaries.
According to him, the outcome of the Osun election demonstrated that Nigeria still possesses the capacity to conduct elections in a manner capable of strengthening public confidence in democratic institutions.
“While we commend the electoral process itself, there are developments surrounding the election and, more importantly, an emerging trend in political conduct during off-cycle elections that raises concerns,” Jonathan said.
He expressed concern over what he described as the increasing presence of serving governors, senior political office holders, influential party leaders and other government functionaries travelling into states holding elections with large numbers of aides and heavy security details.
“The growing practice whereby serving governors, senior political office holders, party leaders and other influential government functionaries, accompanied by large number of aides and heavy security details from outside a state, converge on states where elections are being conducted raises an issue that demands national attention,” he said.
Jonathan said the conduct witnessed during the recent elections in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo was unusual and should not be allowed to become normal practice in Nigeria’s democracy.
“The conduct witnessed around the recent elections in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states was, in my view, unusual. It is not a practice that should become normal in a democratic society,” he said.
Recalling his time in office, Jonathan said similar situations occurred during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections when senior political figures mobilised and descended on the states.
According to him, when he was briefed about the development, he directed senior government officials and party leaders to leave the affected states immediately.
“Upon being briefed, I ordered party leaders and senior government officials to leave the states immediately,” he said.
The former president described the current trend as unwholesome, warning that if it becomes entrenched, it could have serious long-term implications for democratic stability.
He acknowledged that political parties have every right to campaign, mobilise supporters and deploy legitimate party structures, but said there must be limits, particularly on election day.
“Political parties are entitled to campaigning, mobilising their supporters and deploying their legitimate party structures. That is an essential part of democracy,” Jonathan said.
He, however, warned that the overwhelming presence of serving governors, senior public officials and other powerful political actors during elections could create fear and undue pressure.
“There is a point at which political mobilisation, particularly when it involves the overwhelming presence of serving governors, senior public officials and powerful political actors from across the country on election day, can create an atmosphere of apprehension, intimidation, bullying and undue pressure,” he said.
Jonathan questioned whether the increasing deployment of political power and large-scale mobilisation by senior office holders on election day was consistent with the spirit of free, fair and peaceful democratic competition.
“We must ask ourselves whether the increasing deployment of political power and large-scale mobilisation by senior office holders on election day in states holding elections is consistent with the spirit of free, fair and peaceful democratic competition. This hardly happens in other democratic countries,” he said.
He warned political actors against adopting an attitude that treats electoral victory as something that must be secured at all costs.
“We must not allow political competition to become a contest in which victory is perceived as something that must be achieved at all costs,” Jonathan cautioned.
The former president also raised concerns about the precedent such conduct could create if governors and senior political figures from opposing parties begin converging on every state where elections are held.
“If the current trend becomes established, what happens when governors from opposing political parties begin to descend on every state holding a competitive election?
“What happens when each party seeks to match political power with political power, governmental influence with governmental influence, and mobilisation with counter-mobilisation?” he asked.
Jonathan warned that such a development would not strengthen democracy but could instead deepen political tension and turn elections into battles for political survival.
“Such a development would not strengthen our democracy. It would deepen political tensions and could make elections increasingly resemble battles for political survival rather than peaceful contests for the mandate of the people,” he said.
He stressed that the matter should not be reduced to a partisan controversy arising from the Osun governorship election, but should be treated as a national issue concerning the future of Nigeria’s electoral democracy.
Jonathan said current and former public office holders must recognise that the power and influence attached to their positions impose a higher responsibility on them.
“Those of us who have occupied public offices must recognise that our conduct carries a greater responsibility,” he said.
“The power and influence attached to public office should be used to strengthen democratic institutions, not to create apprehension among political opponents or citizens.”
To address the issue, Jonathan called on the National Peace Committee to convene an urgent stakeholders’ meeting to provide a neutral platform for discussions on acceptable political conduct during elections.
He said the engagement should bring together the leadership of registered political parties, INEC, relevant security agencies, the leadership of the National Assembly, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, civil society organisations and the media.
According to him, the stakeholders should interrogate the emerging trend and agree on standards capable of protecting Nigeria’s democracy and preserving peace during future elections.
“I believe that the National Peace Committee is particularly well placed to lead this conversation because of the confidence and moral authority it has built over the years in bringing political leaders together at moments of national tension,” Jonathan said.
He maintained that an early national discussion could help define proper boundaries for political conduct before practices currently considered unusual become accepted as normal.
“An early national conversation can help us establish appropriate boundaries and expectations for political conduct before practices that are unusual today become accepted as normal tomorrow,” the former president said.
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