A former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has raised concerns over what he described as the “invasion” of states by non-participating political dignitaries during off-cycle elections, warning that such actions could endanger electoral peace and undermine public confidence in the democratic process.
Jonathan made the remarks in a statement following the recently concluded governorship election in Osun State, where he commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties and the people of the state for ensuring a largely peaceful exercise.
However, the former president cautioned that a growing pattern in Nigeria’s electoral process — where serving governors, senior government officials, party leaders and other influential political actors troop into states holding off-cycle elections — could create serious security and psychological risks.
He warned that when such high-profile individuals enter an election environment with large entourages, aides and heavy security escorts, it can amount to a form of political invasion that generates fear, tension and intimidation among voters, electoral officials and opposing political actors.
According to Jonathan, the situation becomes even more dangerous when dignitaries who are not direct contestants in the election flood the host state, as their presence may be perceived as an attempt to project state power and influence the electoral outcome.
He stressed that this perception alone, whether or not interference actually occurs, is enough to distort the atmosphere of free choice and may discourage voters from participating freely.
The former president recalled that during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections, similar concerns were raised. He noted that while he was in office, he had to direct some party leaders and senior officials to leave those states after being informed of their presence during the elections.
Jonathan warned that if such political “invasions” are allowed to become normal practice, they could escalate tensions, weaken trust in elections and turn democratic contests into confrontational power struggles rather than peaceful expressions of the people’s will.
While acknowledging that political parties have the right to campaign and mobilise support, he insisted that clear boundaries must be maintained regarding the physical presence and conduct of serving public office holders during elections.
He further argued that the overwhelming presence of political heavyweights, especially when accompanied by security details, can distort the electoral environment even without direct interference, simply by altering the sense of neutrality and safety required for credible elections.
Jonathan therefore called on the National Peace Committee to urgently convene a broad national dialogue involving INEC, political parties, security agencies, the National Assembly, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, civil society organisations and the media.
He said the proposed engagement should address emerging electoral practices and establish clear standards to prevent what is currently seen as unusual from becoming an accepted norm in Nigeria’s democracy.
The former president’s warning underscores growing concerns about the influence of political power during elections and highlights the need to protect electoral spaces from intimidation, undue pressure and the overwhelming presence of non-participating political actors.
As Nigeria continues to strengthen its democratic institutions, Jonathan’s intervention places renewed emphasis on the responsibility of political leaders to ensure that their actions do not compromise electoral integrity or erode public trust in the democratic process.
