Former President Goodluck Jonathan has recalled how he, as president, ordered political party leaders and senior government officials to leave Anambra State during the 2013 governorship election, warning against the growing practice of political heavyweights descending on states during off-cycle polls.

Jonathan made the disclosure in a statement personally signed by him on Tuesday in Abuja, titled: “Osun and the need to set new boundaries for political conduct in off-cycle elections.”

He said similar situations arose during the 2013 Anambra and 2014 Ekiti governorship elections, when senior political leaders mobilised to the states.

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“Upon being briefed, I ordered party leaders and senior government officials to leave the states immediately,” Jonathan said.

The former president’s comment followed the recent governorship election in Osun, where he expressed concern over what he described as the growing presence of serving governors, senior public officials, party leaders and other influential political actors during off-cycle elections.

While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties and the people of Osun for the peaceful conduct of the election, Jonathan said political mobilisation on election day must have clear boundaries.

He said the outcome of the Osun election demonstrated that Nigeria still had the capacity to conduct elections in a manner capable of strengthening public confidence in democratic institutions.

However, Jonathan said the developments surrounding the election raised concerns about an emerging pattern of political conduct during off-cycle elections.

“The growing practice whereby serving governors, senior political office holders, party leaders and other influential government functionaries, accompanied by large number of aides and heavy security details from outside a state, converge on states where elections are being conducted raises an issue that demands national attention,” he said.

According to him, the conduct witnessed during the recent elections in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states was unusual and should not become normal in a democratic society.

Jonathan warned that if the trend continued unchecked, it could create an atmosphere of apprehension, intimidation and undue pressure, with implications for Nigeria’s democratic stability.

He acknowledged the right of political parties to campaign, mobilise supporters and deploy legitimate party structures, but said such activities should not overwhelm the electoral environment.

“We must ask ourselves whether the increasing deployment of political power and large-scale mobilisation by senior office holders on election day in states holding elections is consistent with the spirit of free, fair and peaceful democratic competition,” he said.

The former president also warned about the precedent such conduct could create if governors from opposing political parties began mobilising to every state holding competitive elections.

He said such a situation could lead to a cycle in which political power, governmental influence and large-scale mobilisation were deployed against one another.

“Such a development would not strengthen our democracy. It would deepen political tensions and could make elections increasingly resemble battles for political survival rather than peaceful contests for the mandate of the people,” he said.

Jonathan said the issue should not be treated as a partisan matter arising from the Osun election, but as a broader national concern about the future of Nigeria’s electoral democracy.

“Those of us who have occupied public offices must recognise that our conduct carries a greater responsibility,” he said.

“The power and influence attached to public office should be used to strengthen democratic institutions, not to create apprehension among political opponents or citizens.”

The former president consequently called on the National Peace Committee to convene an urgent national stakeholders’ engagement to address the emerging trend and establish acceptable standards for political conduct during off-cycle elections.

He said the meeting should involve the leadership of registered political parties, INEC, relevant security agencies, the National Assembly, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Governors’ Forum, civil society organisations and the media.

Jonathan said the National Peace Committee was well positioned to lead the discussion because of the confidence and moral authority it had built in bringing political leaders together during periods of national tension.

“An early national conversation can help us establish appropriate boundaries and expectations for political conduct before practices that are unusual today become accepted as normal tomorrow,” he said.