ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former President Goodluck Jonathan has criticised the growing presence of serving governors, senior political office holders and party leaders in states conducting off-cycle elections, warning that the practice could undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
Jonathan described the development as an “unwholesome” trend that could create tension and place undue pressure on voters during elections.
The former president raised the concern in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, days after the Osun governorship election.
He said the recent mobilisation of governors, political leaders and other influential figures in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states was unusual and should not become a feature of democratic elections.
According to Jonathan, the deployment of large entourages of aides and security personnel from outside the states where elections are taking place could create an atmosphere of intimidation and apprehension.
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He recalled that a similar situation occurred during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections when he was president.
Jonathan said that after being briefed about the presence of senior political leaders in those states, he directed party leaders and senior government officials to leave immediately.
He argued that although political parties had the right to mobilise supporters, campaign and deploy their legitimate structures, the involvement of serving governors and senior public officials on election day required closer scrutiny.
Jonathan warned that allowing the practice to continue could gradually turn elections into contests driven by political power and government influence rather than the choice of voters.
He said the situation could become more problematic if rival parties began deploying governors and other powerful political actors to every state holding an off-cycle election.
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Jonathan questioned what would happen if political parties attempted to match one another’s governmental influence, security presence and mobilisation during elections.
According to him, such a scenario could deepen political tensions and make elections resemble battles for political survival instead of peaceful contests for the people’s mandate.
“We must not allow political competition to become a contest in which victory is perceived as something that must be achieved at all costs,” the former president said.
He stressed that democratic competition must remain peaceful and free from practices capable of intimidating voters or creating an uneven political environment.
Jonathan’s comments come after the August 15 Osun governorship election, which was won by incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party.