Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has urged all stakeholders, including candidates in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, to prioritize peace and security.
Jonathan spoke in a statement on Thursday made available to journalists by his media adviser, Ikechukwu Eze.
He charged politicians to refrain from all actions that may undermine the peace and security of the state.
Jonathan also charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police Force, as well as all other security agencies that would be involved in the election, to maintain neutrality.
According to the former Nigerian leader, a level playing ground must be provided for the citizens to exercise their democratic rights.
Below is the full text of the statement:
“As citizens of voting age in Edo State go to the polls for the governorship election on Saturday, September 21, 2024, I call on all political actors and stakeholders to work towards deepening the nation’s democracy by prioritizing peace and security of the state.
“Politicians must pursue their interests within the confines of the law and refrain from activities that could undermine the peace and stability of the state. It is encouraging that civil rule has endured in the Fourth Republic for 25 years but we should remind our people that democracy loses its value when citizens cannot exercise their political choices in a free and fair atmosphere.
“In the interest of peace and the integrity of our electoral process, I urge the electoral management body and security agencies to be professional and neutral in discharging their responsibilities. The Edo election scheduled for this weekend places a moral burden on state agencies especially the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rise to their constitutional responsibilities as independent arbiters in our democratic process.
“Security agencies must conduct themselves in optimal neutrality and desist from actions that could alter the setting for a level-playing field and compromise the credibility of the electoral process. On its part, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must live up to expectations as an unbiased umpire and inspire confidence in all actors through a transparent voting process. There is no doubt that loss of confidence in an election encourages political disputes, social unrest, voter apathy, increased polarization and other far-reaching consequences that could undermine development and democratic consolidation.
“For democracy to endure, our leadership recruitment process must be devoid of all forms of manipulation and state institutions must guarantee peaceful, credible and transparent elections. That way, citizens will be able to elect leaders of their choice who they will entrust with the legitimacy to deliver good governance, peace and prosperity.”
