Former President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the growing practice of serving governors and senior officials converging on states during off-cycle elections, warning that the trend could undermine Nigeria's democratic foundations. In a signed statement following the recent Osun State governorship election, Jonathan cited the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti elections as examples where he personally ordered party leaders to leave those states to prevent intimidation.
Jonathan's Concern Over Election-Day Deployments
Jonathan, who served as president from 2010 to 2015, said the pattern was visible in Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo states, describing it as unusual conduct that should not become standard practice. He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, and the people of Osun State for the peaceful conduct of the poll but warned that certain behaviours surrounding the vote deserve serious scrutiny.
"There is a point at which political mobilisation, particularly when it involves the overwhelming presence of serving governors, senior public officials and powerful political actors from across the country on election day, can create an atmosphere of apprehension, intimidation, bullying and undue pressure," Jonathan said.
Call for National Peace Committee Meeting
Jonathan urged the National Peace Committee to convene a stakeholders' engagement as soon as possible, given its track record of bringing political leaders together during moments of tension. He said the meeting should include the leadership of all registered political parties, INEC, relevant security agencies, the National Assembly leadership, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Governors' Forum, civil society organisations, and the media.
"An early national conversation can help us establish appropriate boundaries and expectations for political conduct before practices that are unusual today become accepted as normal tomorrow," he said. Jonathan stressed that the issue should not be read as a partisan attack on any party or on the Osun election outcome specifically, framing it instead as a broader question about the direction of Nigeria's electoral democracy.
Osun Election: Oyebamiji Decries Post-Election Violence
Meanwhile, Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the Osun election, raised an alarm over what he described as a growing wave of violence targeting APC members and supporters in the days following the poll. In a statement addressed to APC members, leaders, and supporters across the state, Oyebamiji said that attacks which began before the election had intensified significantly within the 24 hours after results were declared.
Jonathan warned that if the current trend continues unchecked, opposing parties would eventually begin matching each other's deployments in every competitive election, turning polls into shows of political force rather than genuine contests for the people's mandate. The former president's call for an early national conversation underscores the need to set clear boundaries for political conduct around elections, a move that could reshape how parties and officials engage in future off-cycle polls.
