Former President Goodluck Jonathan says Nigeria must come before party and sectional interests, urging politicians to rise above ethnic, religious and regional divisions as the country moves toward the 2027 elections.
His message was delivered Tuesday in Abuja at the fifth National Conference of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria, where he was represented by Bala James Ngilari, a former deputy governor of Adamawa State.
What Jonathan told politicians
“Nigeria must always be greater than any political party, individual or sectional interest,” Jonathan said in the address. He called ethnic, religious and regional divisions a major obstacle to the country’s political development and urged leaders to build politics on competence, integrity, inclusion and the national interest.
Jonathan, who served as deputy governor and governor of Bayelsa before becoming vice president and president, said his years in office taught him the value of patience, consultation, teamwork and strong institutions. He added that political office is temporary.
He asked the forum, of which he is grand patron, to mentor young Nigerians, especially aspiring political leaders, on integrity, discipline, tolerance and accountability. He also urged it to review Nigeria’s constitutional framework and send well considered recommendations to the National Assembly.
Ganduje and Okowa add their voices
Former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje used the same event to urge continuity in governance. Political differences between outgoing and incoming governors, even within one party, often lead to abandoned or reversed projects, he said.
“Continuity leads to consolidation, and consolidation leads to sustainable development,” Ganduje said. He also said the lack of clear ideological differences among parties encourages defections driven by personal interests, not shared values.
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, a former Delta State governor and co chairman of the conference, said the gap between government policy and citizens’ daily lives has weakened public trust. He called for inclusive governance, clearer explanations of policy and spending, and more room for young people, women and persons with disabilities in decisions.
Why the message lands now
The two day conference, which ends Wednesday, is themed Rethinking Nation Building: Bridging the Leadership Citizen Disconnect.
Jonathan’s remarks come as politicians reposition for the 2027 elections. One report framed the remark as a message that Nigeria is bigger than the ruling APC, the Nigerian Democratic Congress, the Action Democratic Congress and others, but the quoted words named no party.
INEC chairman Joash Amupitan said last week that the elections were 92 days away, and that more than 103 million voters are registered.
Forum chairman Chris Akomas said policies and reforms alone cannot change the country without ethical leadership and responsible citizens, and called on leaders to accept accountability, humility and empathy.
Director General Kenneth Ibe-Kalu said the forum plans to work with international institutions on solutions but is held back by limited resources.
Speeches at forums like this one cost nothing, and Nigerian politicians have heard these appeals many times. The test comes in the months ahead, when parties choose their candidates and defections peak, and loyalty to Nigeria is measured against loyalty to party.
