Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigeria will improve when citizens stop tolerating bad behavior from politicians. He believes that political leaders will start doing the right thing only when the people demand it.

Jonathan shared his thoughts during a book launch in Abuja on Tuesday, February 18. He criticized how Nigerians celebrate wrongdoing, saying, “One day, the country will reach a point where people will reject bad behavior. When that happens, politicians will have no choice but to act right.”

Jonathan also spoke against the use of military personnel for election duties, arguing that it overstretches the army.

He pointed out that in most countries, the police and the electoral commission manage elections, while the military is only involved in transporting materials to dangerous areas.

He recalled his visit to Botswana, where elections were conducted peacefully with minimal military involvement. “In Botswana, almost all police officers handled the elections, while the military secured government buildings.

In Senegal, elections were conducted with a simple system where voters selected their candidates without heavy police presence inside polling stations,” he explained.

Jonathan believes Nigeria should adopt similar methods to ensure a fair election process.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, also spoke at the event. He emphasized that the credibility of elections depends on the leadership in charge. According to him, free and fair elections are possible when the right people oversee the process.

Both Jonathan and Obi agree that Nigeria’s democracy will only improve when citizens demand better leadership and fair elections.