Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned against the growing presence of serving governors, senior political office holders and party leaders in states conducting off-cycle elections.
Jonathan said the practice could threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability by creating an atmosphere of intimidation and undue political pressure.
He spoke in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday while reacting to the recently concluded Osun governorship election.
The former president commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties and the people of Osun State for the peaceful conduct of the election.
However, he raised concerns over what he described as an emerging and unhealthy trend in off-cycle polls.
Jonathan said the presence of governors, senior government officials and political leaders, accompanied by large numbers of aides and security personnel, was becoming increasingly common.
“The 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,” he said.
He recalled similar incidents during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections when he was president.
Jonathan said he had ordered senior political leaders and government officials to leave the states after being briefed about their presence.
He warned that unchecked political mobilisation could create fear, intimidation and undue pressure during elections.
“This trend is unwholesome. If left unchecked, it could threaten our fragile democracy and have serious long-term implications for democratic stability,” he said.
Jonathan acknowledged the right of political parties to campaign, mobilise supporters and deploy legitimate party structures.
However, he said the overwhelming presence of powerful political actors on election day could undermine peaceful democratic competition.
He questioned whether the growing deployment of political power and government influence during off-cycle elections was consistent with the principles of free and fair elections.
“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,” he said.
The former president also warned against turning elections into contests where victory must be secured at all costs.
He questioned what could happen if governors from rival political parties began deploying political and governmental influence across states holding competitive elections.
According to him, such a situation could heighten political tensions and turn elections into battles for political survival rather than contests for voters’ mandates.
Jonathan urged political actors to treat the issue as a national concern rather than a partisan dispute over the Osun election.
“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,” he said.
He also reminded former and serving public officials that their conduct carries greater responsibility.
Jonathan said the powers attached to public office should be used to strengthen democratic institutions rather than intimidate political opponents or citizens.
His comments followed INEC’s declaration of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke as winner of the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke, the Accord candidate, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.
