Anyim urges leaders to emulate Jonathan’s democratic example

Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, has urged Nigerian political leaders to prioritise national interest and emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to democracy.

Anyim made the call on Tuesday in Bauchi in his remarks at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue.

It was themed: “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”

He said that while discussions on democratic stability often focused on the judiciary, the quality, character and disposition of politicians remained fundamental to democratic outcomes.

“I am conscious of the fact that the focal point is the judiciary.

“But I think there is a fundamental factor that is not being discussed here, which I believe is necessary to bring to the fore.

“The search for solutions should also bring into consideration the quality and character of our politicians, and on the other hand, national interest,” Anyim said.

Referring to the 2015 general election, Anyim said Jonathan’s decision not to challenge the result in court helped to prevent political instability.

“Take, for instance, in 2015, when we lost the election, it would have been the first time in the history of this country where a sitting president would contest the outcome of an election in court.

“But President Jonathan chose not to go to court. He chose not to contest the outcome of the election.

“That saved both the court and the political parties, and indeed stabilised the polity,” Anyim said.

He said lasting solutions to Nigeria’s political challenges required politicians with the character, patriotism and disposition demonstrated by Jonathan.

“For us to get a permanent solution, we need the character, the spirit, and the disposition displayed in the mould of President Goodluck Jonathan to run our affairs,” he added.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr Yusuf Dantalle, alleged that political actors were weakening political parties and undermining internal party democracy.

Dantalle said political parties in Nigeria had lost much of their independence, unlike in previous eras when party structures wielded authority over elected officials and maintained ideological discipline.

“When we were younger, political parties as institutions were much stronger.

“Party leadership did not belong to elected officials; the party was a structure with its own independence. When people were elected, political parties ensured that officials aligned with the party manifesto,” Dantalle said.

He alleged that the withdrawal of state subventions had financially weakened political parties, leaving them vulnerable to control by wealthy individuals.

“Parties were left at the mercy of whoever could pay or drive political activities financially, allowing them to dictate what happens within the parties,” he said.

Dantalle also accused external actors of creating factions within political parties and using compromised court processes to deepen crises in opposition parties.

“Most of the factions in political parties today are manufactured; it is not by accident,” Dantalle said, adding that conflicting court judgments also undermined internal democracy.

“Where you have a strong contender, the next thing you see is someone from nowhere, who is not even a member, claiming leadership.

“Suspended or expelled members are backed because the judiciary has been weaponised.”

He urged political leaders to remember that power was temporary and called on stakeholders to restore the structural integrity of Nigeria’s multi-party system.