Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged politicians preparing for the 2027 general elections to follow established rules, warning against using political competition as an excuse for misconduct.
Jonathan gave the warning in a goodwill message at a public lecture organised to mark the 80th birthday of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, SAN.
The former president, who conceded defeat in the 2015 presidential election, said the pursuit of electoral victory should not justify actions that violate the rules governing political contests.
Jonathan said politicians sometimes defend questionable actions by simply describing them as “politics,” but argued that political competition must operate within defined boundaries.
“In politics, it is a disaster. People do stupid things, also even criminal things, and they will tell you it is politics. It is not politics. Politics has rules,” he said.
He compared elections to a football match, explaining that participants must follow the rules if the contest is to be fair.
“Politics is like a soccer match. You play according to the rules, and that is why the courts step in to mediate if you go against the rules,” Jonathan added.
He said ignoring the rules could allow people to win elections through improper means and then use political power to avoid accountability.
Jonathan calls for stronger anti-corruption culture
The former president also spoke about corruption, saying Nigeria’s efforts to tackle the problem should go beyond creating laws and strengthening enforcement agencies.
According to Jonathan, lasting progress requires a society where ethical behaviour is encouraged and public office is regarded as a responsibility to the people.
“The challenge before Nigeria is not simply to make laws against corruption. It is to build a culture in which ethical conduct becomes the norm, where public office is treated as a trust, and where institutions are strong enough to uphold accountability,” he said.
Jonathan argued that corruption would remain difficult to eliminate unless Nigerians collectively developed stronger social values against wrongdoing.
“We cannot continue to claim that private corruption will just keep going around in circles. It cannot go anywhere until we develop that culture, and nobody does wrong willingly,” he added.
Jonathan recalls experience in Rwanda
Jonathan also recalled an experience in Rwanda, saying social norms in the country discourage public officials from accepting certain gifts.
He said the experience demonstrated how societal values can influence conduct beyond what formal laws require.
According to the former president, the lesson was that fighting corruption requires not only government institutions but also citizens who reject practices that encourage unethical behaviour.
“All of us Nigerians have a major role to play if we want to suppress corruption, not just the bodies established by law to discipline and punish those who do it,” Jonathan said.
He also emphasised the role of institutions, particularly the judiciary, in ensuring that individuals face consequences when established rules are violated.
Jonathan’s comments come as political parties and potential candidates begin preparations for the 2027 elections, with debates over electoral conduct, accountability and democratic institutions becoming increasingly prominent.
