Ahead of the 2023 general elections, former President Goodluck Jonathan has advised Nigerian youths to vote for only those who will promote peace and unity.
The former president urged the youths not to vote for those who would erect ethnoreligious walls across the country and further impede the progress of Nigeria.
According to The New Telegraph, Jonathan advised on Saturday, September 3, in Owerri, the Imo state capital, at the lecture organised by the Imo Correspondent Chapel in honour of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who clocked 80 years.
Jonathan challenged young Nigerians to rise and elect only those who will promote peace and unity in Nigeria, not those who would erect ethnoreligious walls across the country and further impede Nigeria’s progress.
He said, “Luckily, we are in an election cycle. So, my challenge to the youth is to take charge of their future by electing those who believe in our unity and will promote peace and progress, not those who will erect ethnic walls and religious barriers among our people.
“We have over-ethnicized our politics to the detriment of our country and our collective growth. We need to stop this.” He added: “As a nation, we have challenges, but we should not be slaves to our challenges. Let us get over the obstacles and move forward. We have to adapt and must not conform to perceived aberrant behaviour considered to be politically correct.” He counselled that incoming Nigerian leaders must try to redress the spread of divisive politics.
“They must de-emphasise the differences and emphasise things that bind us together.” Said he:” The incoming Nigerian leaders must take deliberate steps to whittle down the ethnic cleavages pulling us apart and pulling the nation backwards. “So, my appeal to all Nigerians is to de-emphasize our differences and focus on the issues that bind us.”
Citing quotes from Nigeria’s leaders and founding fathers from different geopolitical regions of Nigeria, Jonathan maintained that according to history, the Igbo have always stood for the unity of Nigeria. His words: “If you look at these statements by the different leaders and use Zik as a representation of the Igbo intellectual vision for Nigeria at that time, it shows clearly the Igbo stand on the unity of Nigeria.
“Today, if people see things differently, it only indicates that there are fundamental issues that, as a nation, we need to address. Jonathan, however, expressed delight in being part of the honour and celebration of Chief Iwuanyanwu, saying, “This is a man I call my father, a man worthy of celebration.” He described Iwuanyanwu as a bridge builder and role model for young and emerging leaders in Nigeria.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu is worthy of celebration and commendation not just for attaining the milestone of 80 years but for his contribution to Nigeria’s economy and social and political development.”
He expressed confidence that the topic of the day’s lecture, “Igbo Quest for Nigeria’s Unity,” reflected the lifelong ideology of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the guest lecturer at the event, while making his opening remark, described Jonathan’s humility as ‘disarming’ and enjoined him to set aside the propriety or impropriety of the last election and continue to put Nigeria first.
