Jonathan tells politicians Nigeria matters more than any party
- Goodluck Jonathan said ethnic, religious and regional divisions are still holding Nigeria's politics back.
- He spoke in Abuja at a conference of former deputy governors, represented by Bala Ngilari.
- Abdullahi Ganduje and Ifeanyi Okowa also spoke on unity, weak institutions and public trust.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan don ask Nigerian politicians to put the country interest pass their party loyalty, and warn say division along ethnic, religious and regional lines still dey drag the country politics.
He make the call on Tuesday for Abuja at the fifth National Conference of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria. Bala Ngilari, former deputy governor of Adamawa State, represent Jonathan for the event.
According to am, politics suppose build on competence, integrity and inclusion, no be where politician come from or which faith e dey practise. He talk say Nigeria must always count pass any party, any single person or any group wey dey push their own agenda.
Jonathan, wey be deputy governor and then governor of Bayelsa before e serve as Vice President and President, talk say him time for office teach am patience, loyalty, consultation and teamwork. Governance, e talk, no be about one person but about strong institutions and serving the people.
He urge the former deputy governors to keep warm ties with the governors wey dey office now, to guide younger politicians and to speak out against practices wey dey divide the country. Political office, e remind them, na temporary, but decisions wey dem take for office fit shape the lives of generations.
He also talk say e get hope for Nigeria future because of the resilience and creativity of its people, especially the young, but e stress say dem need room to work, build and prosper.
Ganduje, Okowa weigh in
Abdullahi Ganduje, former Kano State governor and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), trace Nigeria integration troubles to its colonial past. He talk say some nationalist leaders later take ethnic positions, and parties after independence mostly organise along ethnic lines. Nigerians, e talk, suppose treat their diversity as strength.
Ganduje also raise concern about how strong democratic institutions be, including the judiciary, and ask how real judicial reform fit happen. He criticise the lack of continuity between administrations, note say disagreement between outgoing and incoming governors often lead to projects being dropped or reversed, sometimes even when both belong to the same party. He call for deputy governors to be recognised for their contribution to governance instead of seeing them only as stand-ins for governors.
Former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa talk say the gap between government policies and wetin citizens dey experience daily don weaken public trust. Nation-building, e argue, need social contract built on accountability, inclusion and shared responsibility, and many Nigerians feel shut out because their hopes no dey met.
The conference come as attention turn towards the 2027 general elections, with parties and politicians dey position themselves. Wetin go happen next go depend on whether the unity talk for such gatherings go translate into how parties pick candidates and run campaigns.
