Former President Goodluck Jonathan has criticised what he described as an “unwholesome” practice of serving governors, senior political office holders, party leaders and other influential figures converging on states during off-cycle elections with large entourages of aides and security personnel.
Jonathan said the growing practice raises serious concerns about the conduct and future of Nigeria’s democracy, particularly where the presence of powerful political figures from outside the state becomes overwhelming during election periods.
The former president made the remarks in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, days after the Osun State governorship election. He said similar conduct had also been witnessed around the recent governorship elections in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States.
According to Jonathan, political parties are entitled to campaign, mobilise supporters and deploy their legitimate structures, but there should be limits to the involvement of serving governors, senior public officials and powerful political actors in elections taking place outside their states.
He warned that an overwhelming presence of political leaders, accompanied by large numbers of aides and heavy security details, could create an atmosphere of apprehension, intimidation, bullying and undue pressure among voters and other participants in the electoral process.
Jonathan recalled that similar developments occurred during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections while he was president. He said that, after receiving reports about the presence of senior political leaders in those states, he directed party leaders and senior government officials to leave.
He described the emerging trend as one that could threaten Nigeria’s fragile democracy if allowed to become established, warning that it could have serious long-term implications for democratic stability.
The former president also questioned what could happen if governors from opposing political parties began deploying their political and governmental influence to every state holding a competitive election.
He cautioned that such a pattern could turn elections into contests of political power, governmental influence and counter-mobilisation, rather than peaceful competitions for the mandate of the people.
Jonathan urged political actors to consider whether the increasing deployment of political power and large-scale mobilisation by senior office holders during off-cycle elections is consistent with the principles of free, fair and peaceful democratic competition.
He said political competition should not become a situation where victory is considered something that must be achieved at all costs, stressing the need to establish clear boundaries around political conduct during off-cycle elections.
The former president’s comments come as Nigeria continues to witness a growing number of off-cycle governorship elections, with concerns over political influence, electoral security and the role of state and federal political actors remaining central to debates about the credibility of the country’s electoral process.
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