Former President Goodluck Jonathan says many Nigerians, especially the youths, are showing obvious signs of increasing disillusionment with the nation’s politics and democracy.
He said this at an event to commemorate the 70th birthday of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Revd. Matthew Hassan Kukah in Abuja on Wednesday.
However, Jonathan urged Nigerians to protect the country from slipping into a dictatorship, noting that the democratic path was the only practical way of effectively managing Nigeria’s diversity, developing sustainably, and recording progress as a nation.
“Obviously many people, especially our youths, are becoming increasingly disillusioned about our politics and democracy.
“However, we must remain on the democratic path because it is the only practical way of effectively managing our diversity, developing sustainably, and recording progress as a nation.
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“The task before all of us is not to lower our guards lest the democracy we cherish today succumbs to threats and recedes into fascism tomorrow because there are signs.
“Looking at the states and so on, we are derailing towards quasi-fascist form of government, but democracy is not only about winning elections alone, it is about accommodation. We, as leaders at the centre and at the state levels, especially at this time when elections are coming, must accommodate different views.
“Towards this goal, we are again faced with a good opportunity of choosing our leaders as the nation prepares to go to the polls next year. Let us choose those that will take us to the desired destination and the promised land,” Jonathan said.
Jonathan said that while Nigeria may not be where it should be, “we should not give up or lose hope by focusing on only the negative.”
“Judging from where we are coming from since independence in 1960, we may have been moving slowly in our journey of nationhood, but it is a journey of progress, all the same,” the former president stated.