Goodluck Jonathan declares his position ahead of Edo elections, sends a message to INEC and the police

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged all stakeholders, including candidates for the upcoming Edo State gubernatorial election, to prioritize peace and security.

Jonathan spoke in a statement on Thursday made available to reporters by his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze.

He urged politicians to refrain from all actions that could undermine the peace and security of the State.

Jonathan also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Public Force, as well as all other security agencies that would be involved in the election, to maintain neutrality.

According to the former Nigerian leader, equal conditions must be guaranteed for citizens to exercise their democratic rights.

The full text of the statement follows:

“As citizens of voting age in Edo State head to the polls for the gubernatorial election on Saturday, September 21, 2024, I call on all political actors and stakeholders to work towards deepening the nation’s democracy by prioritizing the peace and security of the state.

“Politicians must defend their interests within the limits of the law and refrain from activities that may undermine the peace and stability of the State. It is encouraging that civilian rule has endured in the Fourth Republic for 25 years, but we must remind our people that democracy loses its value when citizens are unable to exercise their political choices in a free and fair environment.

“In the interest of peace and integrity of our electoral process, I urge the electoral management body and security agencies to be professional and neutral in the discharge of their responsibilities. The Edo elections scheduled for this weekend impose a moral burden on state agencies, especially the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to discharge their constitutional responsibilities as independent arbiters in our democratic process.

“Security agencies must behave with the utmost neutrality and refrain from actions that could alter the level playing field and compromise the credibility of the electoral process. For its part, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) must live up to expectations as an impartial arbiter and inspire confidence in all actors through a transparent voting process. There is no doubt that loss of confidence in an election fosters political disputes, social unrest, voter apathy, increased polarization and other far-reaching consequences that could undermine democratic development and consolidation.

“For democracy to endure, our leadership selection process must be free from all forms of manipulation and state institutions must ensure peaceful, credible and transparent elections. In this way, citizens will be able to elect leaders of their choice to whom they will entrust the legitimacy to ensure good governance, peace and prosperity.”