Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has cautioned politicians and their parties to abstain from violence ahead of the country's general elections in 2023, stating that Nigeria must exist before having the next President.
At the 2022 peace conference hosted by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation on Tuesday in Abuja, he said as much.
The former president of Nigeria urged individuals running for electoral office to defend Africa's most populous country from being destroyed.
He asserted that people seeking the office of president, governors, and legislators all had a responsibility to safeguard the nation's democracy.
“We must have a state before you talk about having a President or a governor. If you destroy the country, then where do we need a President?” he said.
“Anybody who is interested in leadership at the level of a president, governor, senator, etc, you have the biggest stake to protect the nation.
“Both those who want to be President, governors and their supporters should first know that we need to have a nation before whoever you are supporting can emerge (into leadership position).”
Jonathan praised Nigerian youths for showing interest in the general elections in 2023 and cautioned them against using hate speech.
He cited propaganda, hate speech, and fake news as the main threats to Nigeria's democracy and urged the populace to abstain from using them.
Prominent individuals attended the peace conference at the NAF Conference Center, which was headlined "The Role of Elections in a Multi-Ethnic Context."
In order to create a multi-stakeholder consensus toward a peaceful general election, conference attendees aim to study trends and challenges to a peaceful election.
Boss Mustapha, the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjkpo, former Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese, and others are there.