Goodluck Jonathan Warns Against Turning Nigeria Into a One-Party State
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned against attempts to transform Nigeria into a one-party state through political manipulation, stressing that such a move would destabilize the country’s fragile democracy. Speaking at a memorial lecture in honor of late nationalist Chief Edwin Clark, Jonathan acknowledged that while some countries have succeeded with one-party systems, Nigeria’s diverse ethnic, religious, and political landscape requires a more inclusive approach while emphasizing that any shift to a one-party system must be carefully planned by experts, not achieved through coercion or manipulation. Additionally, he also called for the continuation of the current multiparty democracy, despite its flaws, to preserve unity, as his comments come amid rising concerns about the shrinking space for opposition politics and growing authoritarian tendencies.
