By Mary Izuaka

 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that the growing practice of serving governors and senior government officials converging on states holding off-cycle elections with heavy security details could threaten Nigeria’s democracy if left unchecked.

Mr Jonathan, in a statement released on Tuesday, said the conduct witnessed during the recent governorship election in Osun State, and previously in Ekiti and Ondo, was “unusual” and “not a practice that should become normal in a democratic society.”

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, and the people of Osun for the peaceful conduct of the election, but stated that an emerging trend in political mobilisation demands urgent national attention.

“The growing practice whereby serving governors, senior political office holders, party leaders and other influential government functionaries, accompanied by large numbers 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,” Mr Jonathan said.

Drawing from his experience in office, Mr Jonathan recalled that similar situations arose during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections.

On those occasions, he said senior political leaders mobilised and descended upon the states.

“Upon being briefed, I ordered party leaders and senior government officials to leave the states immediately. This trend is unwholesome. If left unchecked, it could threaten our fragile democracy and have serious long-term implications for democratic stability,” he added.

He said political parties are entitled to campaign, mobilise their supporters and deploy their legitimate party structures.

“That is an essential part of democracy. However, 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.

“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. We must not allow political competition to become a contest in which victory is perceived as something that must be achieved at all costs,” he said.

Mr Jonathan asked, “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 said such development would not strengthen the country’s democracy, adding that 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.

“I therefore believe that this matter should not be treated as a partisan dispute concerning the Osun election. It is a broader national issue concerning the future of our electoral democracy. Those of us who have occupied public office must recognise that our conduct carries a greater responsibility.

“The power and influence attached to public office should be used to strengthen democratic institutions, not to create apprehension among political opponents or citizens,” he added.

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Calls for National Peace Committee engagement

To address the issue, the former president called on the National Peace Committee to convene a stakeholders’ engagement to set standards for political conduct during elections.

He said the purpose of such a meeting should be to provide a neutral and constructive platform for political leaders and other stakeholders to reflect on emerging practices around elections and agree on standards that will protect democracy and preserve peace.

He said the engagement should bring together key stakeholders, including the leadership of registered political parties; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); relevant security agencies; the leadership of the National Assembly; the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; civil society organisations; and the media, to interrogate this troubling trend.

“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.

“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,” Mr Jonathan said.