Former President Goodluck Jonathan has raised concerns over the growing involvement of serving governors and other senior political figures in off-cycle elections across Nigeria.
Jonathan said the practice deserves national attention, particularly following the involvement of several All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and senior party leaders in the recent Osun State governorship election.
The former president expressed concern about the growing number of political office holders who travel to states where elections are taking place, often accompanied by large entourages and security personnel. According to Jonathan, such a practice could put unnecessary pressure on voters and create an atmosphere that may affect the fairness of an election.
He recalled that similar concerns arose during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections while he was president. Jonathan said he had personally directed political actors and federal officials to leave the states because of concerns about undue interference.
According to daily post, Jonathan stressed that the practice should not become normal in a democratic society. His comments came after the August 15 Osun governorship election, where Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner. Adeleke polled 511,067 votes, while APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji received 444,815 votes.
The election attracted significant attention from national political figures, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and several APC governors reportedly campaigning in the state for the party’s candidate.
Jonathan’s concern is that the growing involvement of powerful political figures in off-cycle elections could gradually weaken the independence of local elections and create an uneven political environment.
He called for greater attention to the issue ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that Nigeria must protect the credibility of its democratic process.
The former president also urged relevant institutions and political stakeholders to consider clearer rules around the movement and activities of senior political office holders during elections.
For Jonathan, elections should ultimately be about the choices of voters rather than the influence of powerful political figures arriving from outside the state.
His comments have added to the wider conversation about the future of Nigeria’s electoral system and the need to ensure that voters can make their choices freely and without intimidation.
