Jonathan: Creating one-party state through backdoor dangerous for Nigeria

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says creating a one-party state in Nigeria through “the backdoor by political manipulations” will lead to a crisis.

Jonathan spoke on Wednesday at the tribute and memorial lecture in honour of late Edwin Clark, a prominent Ijaw leader.

The lecture, which took place in Abuja, was graced by prominent political personalities.

The ex-president said the subject of turning the country into a one-party state has been generating controversy on social media.

Jonathan said although some countries have adopted the single-party system, it was meticulously designed to meet certain national objectives.

He said if Nigeria wants to adopt a single-party system, it must be designed by experts with stated objectives.

“Yes, countries have practised a one-party system. It may not be evil after all,” he said.

“Julius Nyerere of Tanzania used one-party state to stabilise the country in their early days of independence.

“His country, just like Nigeria, has many tribes and tongues and two principal religions, Christianity and Islam.

“If he had not done that, some parties would toe the line of region, some on the basis of tribes and unity would be difficult. But it was properly planned. It was not by accident.

“If we must as a nation go the one party route, it must be designed. It must be planned by experts and we must know what we are going into.

“But if we go through the backdoor by political manipulations, then we will be going into a crisis.

“So, I will advise that probably in a country like Nigeria, we allow the system to stay as it is, which is a multi-party system.

“But if we for some reason must go one-party, it should not be an accident.”

Jonathan’s comments come amid the wave of defections hitting opposition political parties.

Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta state; and Ifeanyi Okowa, his immediate predecessor; recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Other political stakeholders in Delta PDP also defected to the APC.

The development has been criticised by many stakeholders who believe that the APC-led government is turning Nigeria into a one-party country.

Responding to the concerns, the presidency said allegations that President Bola Tinubu is promoting a one-party state are “false, baseless, and exaggerated”.