Former President Goodluck Jonathan advised Nigerians to use the upcoming 2023 elections to preserve the nation’s democracy rather than to let their guard down.
On Wednesday night, during Bishop Matthew Kukah’s birthday celebration in Abuja, he made the request in his message.
Governors of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi; Plateau State, Simon Lalong; Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu; and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, are among the dignitaries present at the event.
The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Filippazi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh; the former governors of Imo and Sokoto, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and Attahiru Bafarawa; the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure; and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Ak
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Speaking on the event’s subject, “Nigeria’s Unfinished Greatness: Next Steps,” Jonathan asked Nigerians to be watchful and to work together to elect leaders who will lead their country to the Promised Land.
He said, “Obviously, many people, especially our youth are becoming increasingly disillusioned about our politics and our democracy.
“However, we must remain on the democratic path because it is the only practical way of effectively managing our diversity, developing sustainably and recording progress as a nation.
“The task before all of us is not to lower our guard, lest the democracy we cherish today, succumbs to threats and recedes into fascism tomorrow.
“Towards this goal, we are again faced with a good opportunity of choosing our leaders as the nation prepares to go to the polls next year. Let us choose those that will take us to the desired destination and the Promised Land.
“I am particularly thrilled that Nigerian youths are participating actively in the politics of 2023. According to the latest figures from INEC, youths constitute the majority of the 96.2 million registered voters, in the build-up to the next election. That is a good sign.”
He urged the young people who had registered ahead of the elections in 2023 to try to follow through on their commitment by making sure they cast ballots on Election Day.
According to him, “They should, by all means, resist the machinations of unscrupulous politicians who would wish to exploit them by luring them to commit acts of violence or disrupt the process of free and fair elections.
“Our recent experience with the heightened youth interest in politics shows how desirous they are of participating directly in the governance process. They now know better not to lend their youthful energy to unpatriotic acts, during elections.”
Nigeria, according to the former president of Nigeria, is still a work in progress, and as long as that is the case, national conscience figures like Bishop Kukah will be present to hold up a constant mirror to the nation’s progress.
He explained, “In the course of the last few years since I left government, I have been involved in the work of promoting democracy, credible elections and peaceful transitions across Africa.
“From what I know and have seen, I can confidently say that the experience and struggle for development are similar in many parts of Africa.
“Nigeria may not be where we want it to and should be, but we should not give up or lose hope by focusing on only the negative.
“Judging from where we are coming from since independence in 1960, we may have been moving slowly in our journey of nationhood, but it is a journey of progress, all the same.
“Our greatness is still work in progress because we have not been able to adequately deploy the enviable human and natural resources that God gave us, to full advantage. It is a task we will continue to work on and improve.
“A nation is an organic being that sometimes suffers setbacks. Along the line, from 1960, the nation no doubt has had its own doses of setbacks. This cuts across civil and military rule. The worst was the three-year civil war.
“In every set back, there are always lessons to be learnt and positive take aways from such painful experiences that should guide us to a more productive future.”
