Jonathan: With Smooth Power Transition, Nigeria Fit to Continue Leading Africa’s Democracy

* Elections are over, and so, we must move forward, former President tells politicians

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said Nigeria’s successful power transition at the 2023 election qualifies the country to continue to lead Africa’s democracy.

The ex-President who spoke to State House correspondents after meeting behind closed-door with President Bola Tinubu, said “Though Nigeria has challenges economically now, we still have what it takes to lead Africa,” following the successful polls.

Jonathan, who was at the Villa to brief the President about his mandate as Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States, where he is leading mediation talks, said with elections over in Nigeria, “past and present leaders and the electorate must work together for a better future.
“Elections are over, and so we must move forward…Yes, we have challenges economically now, but we still have what it takes to lead Africa,” Jonathan said after he emerged from talks with President Tinubu.

On his perspective following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the disputed election appeals instituted by the opposition candidates, Jonathan said “we need to bring all our political leaders, including all our former Presidents together, we should not be fighting. If top leaders continue fighting, they will not suffer that much, but the downtrodden will suffer. And we want to end that tension so that we can move forward.”

Referring to his active role in peace and diplomacy in West Africa and across the continent, the former President said he had been actively involved in regional dialogues, with plans to visit Kenya and Liberia in the coming days.

“I have been involved in a number of things in West Africa and Africa. In fact, tomorrow I will be in Kenya, and on November 14, I will be in Liberia. So, I am like a roving Ambassador seeing how we can bring peace to the sub-region and the continent,” said Jonathan.
While the meeting with President Tinubu was initially scheduled for last week, the former President said it coincided with the recent Supreme Court verdict, which affirmed the victory of President Tinubu at the February polls.

Consequently, he seized the opportunity to congratulate President Tinubu on the outcome.
During the interaction, the former President said the focus of his discussion with Tinubu was the progress of the nation.

He cited the recent democracy dialogue where Prof Lumumba highlighted Nigeria’s potential leadership role in Africa.
Jonathan also underscored the importance of regular consultations with the current President, particularly when it comes to foreign programmes.
“They are not personal issues,” he clarified, “traditionally, former Presidents, when going outside the country for continental or regional programmes, brief the President upon their return. That is the tradition.”

Former Presidents’ visits to the State House, as he explained, are usually aimed at advancing Nigeria’s interests, as well as those of the Economic Community of West African States and the entire African continent.

Jonathan is also Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States to Mali, where he is leading mediation talks even as Mali remains under military rule following the August 2020 coup that ousted President Ibrahim Keita.
In September 2023, the Malian military government announced that it would delay a presidential election scheduled for February 2024 which was aimed to return civilian rule.