<\/p>\n
By Emmanuel Oloniruha<\/p>\n
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for an urgent national stakeholders’ engagement to address the emerging trend of serving governors, senior public officials, and heavy political actors descending on states during off-cycle elections.<\/p>\n
Jonathan made the call in statement personally signed by him on Tuesday in Abuja, titled \u201cOsun and the need to set new boundaries for political conduct in off-cycle elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jonathan warned that the practice witnessed during recent governorship elections in Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States created an atmosphere of undue pressure that threatens Nigeria’s fragile democracy.<\/p>\n
While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, and the people of Osun for the peaceful conduct of their recent governorship election, Jonathan stressed that political mobilisation on election day must have boundaries.<\/p>\n
He said that the outcome of the state election demonstrated that, in spite the confronting our democracy, Nigeria possess the capacity to conduct elections in a manner that strengthens public confidence in our democratic institutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jonathan recall that, as President, similar situations arose during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections, where senior political leaders mobilised and descended upon the states.<\/p>\n
\u201cUpon being briefed, I ordered party leaders and senior government officials to leave the states immediately,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jonathan described the trend as unwholesome, saying if left unchecked, it could threaten Nigeria fragile democracy and have serious long-term implications for democratic stability.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical parties are entitled to campaign, mobilise their supporters and deploy their legitimate party structures. That is an essential part of democracy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must not allow political competition to become a contest in which victory is perceived as something that must be achieved at all costs,\u201d Jonathan said.<\/p>\n
According to the former president there is also the question of precedent.<\/p>\n
Jonathan asked that if the current trend becomes established, what happens when governors from opposing political parties begin to descend on every state holding a competitive election?<\/p>\n
He also asked that what happens when each party seeks to match political power with political power, governmental influence with governmental influence, and mobilisation with counter-mobilisation?<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch 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,\u201d Jonathan stated.<\/p>\n
The former said that he believed that the matter should not be treated as a partisan dispute concerning the Osun election, describing it as a broader national issue concerning the future of Nigeria electoral democracy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose of us who have occupied public office must recognise that our conduct carries a greater responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe power and influence attached to public office should be used to strengthen democratic institutions, not to create apprehension among political opponents or citizens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jonathan called on the National Peace Committee (NPC) to convene, as soon as practicable, a stakeholders\u2019 engagement to provide a neutral and constructive platform for political leaders and other stakeholders to reflect on the emerging practices around elections and agree on standards that would protect Nigeria democracy and preserve peace.<\/p>\n
He said that the engagement should bring together key stakeholders, including the leadership of registered political parties, the INEC, relevant security agencies and the leadership of the National Assembly.<\/p>\n
Others according to him are the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); the Nigeria Governors\u2019 Forum; civil society organisations; and the media, to interrogate this troubling trend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that the NPC 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn 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,\u201d Jonathan said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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