Former President Goodluck Jonathan

By Googluck Jonathan

First, let me thank members of the African Third Sector Resource for the kind invitation to attend this very special occasion of African Ambassadors Interactive Forum. It is indeed my pleasure to be honoured with the ‘African Leadership & Achievement Award’ by this great continental organisation, alongside other eminent statesmen and leaders, who are also awardees.

I must say that I have been variously honoured in many parts of the world in the last two years, since I left office. Today’s award is the second of its kind from a circle of diplomats. The first was in January last year when an association of retired ambassadors from all parts of the world, under an organization known as Cercle Diplomatique, honoured me in Geneva, Switzerland. However, this, coming from a group of African diplomats is very precious to me because, as I always say, the greatest honour is the one conferred on home soil.

We all know that evenings like this, especially when it is already branded a dinner, are meant for relaxation and merriment, and I don’t intend to bore you with a long speech. Even then I consider it appropriate to say a few words to properly situate the importance and significance of this event for all of us as Nigerians and Africans.

Let me start by acknowledging the tenacity of ATSR and African ambassadors in their efforts to promote democracy and development on our dear continent, through this annual forum, now in its sixth year. I am always humbled whenever I am called out for recognition on account of my modest achievements, in the areas of deepening democracy and development in Africa.

In this particular case ATSR, in its letter inviting me to this event highlighted what it called my “outstanding role in deepening democracy in Africa by your exemplary leadership before, during and after 2015 presidential elections, particularly for not interfering with the electoral process and for your abiding phrase ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian’.

Such recognition usually leaves me with two emotions: 1) As a mortal, my heart leaps with gladness whenever grace and gratitude knocks on its door, to remind me that I did the right thing by congratulating my opponent even before the final result was collated and announced.

2) There is also that uneasiness which reminds all of us that Africa is still operating at a level where, for want of great triumphs, we celebrate modest gestures, which in many other parts of the world are taken for granted.

So, I admit that the good side for me is that inner satisfaction which comes with being warmly welcomed to civilized gathering such as this to share my thoughts on issues bothering on democracy and good governance; as against being despised and cited as the bad example.

I always say that I reformed the democratic process as President in order to consolidate democracy in Nigeria and the sub-region. I conceded defeat without a fight because I wanted to set a standard for our democracy, going forward. My aim then was to change the narrative and prove that election related litigations should no longer define Nigeria’s democracy. People must not always go to court and obtain judgments before elections in Nigeria are declared complete.

We don’t get to hear about such court cases in mature democracies. I wanted us to get to that point in our democratic experience. I thought that it won’t be out of place if we got to that stage where those who lost elections will be able to congratulate those who won.

Above all, what that decision did for me and the nation was to avert a looming crisis. Given the tension in the land at that time, I was deeply contemplative of what would have happened if we had let our nation, the biggest black nation on earth, slide into anarchy, because of contestations for power. What then would have happened to our citizens, Nigeria’s economy and the investments driving its growth? I was convinced that the implication for peace and the economy of the sub-region and the rest of the continent, couldn’t have spelled anything else but doom.

Recall that after the 2011 Presidential election which most observers adjudged transparent, with my victory generally seen to have been well deserved, crisis and conflicts still surfaced that claimed the lives of many of our compatriots, and properties worth billions of naira destroyed. I am always saddened each time I remember that among those who died needlessly then were youths undergoing the compulsory one-year national service, who unfortunately got killed in a state where I secured only 16 percent of votes. Before the 2015 elections, there was palpable tension in the land, to the extent that some international agencies, especially in the United States, were predicting the disintegration of the country in the election year.

As the President, I always had at the back of my mind that it was my responsibility to protect the assets of Nigerians and non-Nigerians operating in our economy. These were committed investors who had trusted our Government with their investments, to be able to provide jobs and improve the lives of our people.

The steps I took while in office and during and after the 2015 elections were meant to secure our country, consolidate our democracy and protect those investments. I thank God that I was able to do what I did despite the irresistible force of power, and the usual worries about the uncertain fate that might befall a leader upon leaving office, especially in Africa.

However, if you ask me if I am happy to be always singled out as one of the few in Africa, after decades of independence, to have freely handed over power to my opponent, my answer will be: Certainly not. This is because I believe that we are supposed to have gone further than this in Africa. I believe that for us in Africa, political stability should be the basic pedestal upon which we will build the institutions that will support sustainable growth and development.

Africa is in dire need of political stability which engenders good governance; the type that will deliver prosperity to the people and put an end to conflicts arising from weak institutions, poor democratic practices and political instability.

I always say that I reformed the democratic process as President in order to consolidate democracy in Nigeria and the sub-region. I conceded defeat without a fight because I wanted to set a standard for our democracy, going forward. My aim then was to change the narrative and prove that election related litigations should no longer define Nigeria’s democracy. People must not always go to court and obtain judgments before elections in Nigeria are declared complete. We don’t get to hear about such court cases in mature democracies. I wanted us to get to that point in our democratic experience. I thought that it won’t be out of place if we got to that stage where those who lost elections will be able to congratulate those who won.

This is why I am satisfied that the theme of this conference focused on ‘Deepening Democracy and Ensuring Human Security in Africa.’ In many African countries, and indeed other parts of the world, democratic governance still remains fragile. True democracy, which guarantees free and fair elections and peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another, needs to be consolidated across the continent. It is the structure that strongly supports the building of strong institutions which deliver good governance.

It is taken for a given that stability and good governance attracts growth and investments, just as conflicts and political instability serve as disincentive to peace and economic development. I must commend West African leaders for their dexterity in resolving leadership crisis within the ECOWAS zone.

Under my administration as President, in line with my decision to promote a sustainable democratic culture, Nigeria and ECOWAS resolved many conflicts and stabilised and strengthened democracy in many countries in the sub-region, including Niger, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea Bissau and Burkina Faso. We were able to achieve all these because of intense and determined dialogue.

I want to end this short remarks by thanking ATSR again for honouring me and to say that I remain committed to Africa’s growth and development. In this regard, I will be applying my time more to the concerns of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in its bid to touch the lives of the ordinary people in our various communities and countries.

The Foundation which I chair focuses on good governance by promoting credible elections and peaceful transitions in Africa. It will also be working with young people to help them create jobs by promoting youth entrepreneurship. I believe that it is only through such initiatives and strategic Government actions and policies that we can effectively change the story of Africa; from a depressing tale of conflicts and poor governance to that of growth and stability.

I thank you all

• REMARKS BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, AT AFRICAN AMBASSADORS INTERACTIVE FORUM, 17 OCTOBER, 2017 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, ABUJA