ABUJA – Former President Goodluck Jonathan has issued a strong warning against attempts to establish a one-party state in Nigeria, cautioning that such a move would stifle democratic freedoms and could ultimately plunge the country into chaos and anarchy.
Speaking in Abuja during a Memorial Lecture and Day of Tribute held in honour of the late Chief Edwin Clark, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Jonathan emphasized that any shift toward a one-party system must be the result of an organic, procedural evolution, not political manipulation.
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While acknowledging that a one-party state is not inherently bad, citing the example of Julius Nyerere’s use of it to unify the many tribes of Tanzania, Jonathan insisted that such a political structure must be achieved through consensus and proper democratic processes, not through coercion or backdoor tactics.
His remarks come amid a wave of defections from key opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), raising concerns about the erosion of political pluralism.
Jonathan, who spoke fondly of Chief Clark, referred to him as a father figure and a remarkable leader whose memory and courage were unmatched. He added that it would be impossible to replace Clark, describing him as a unique individual with an exceptional mind and fearless spirit
