Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Nigerians to be patriotic, peaceful and display true sportsmanship as they exercise their civic rights to vote from Saturday.
Jonathan made the call in a message to Nigerians released by his Special Adviser Ikechukwu Eze in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that in recent times, West Africa and a few other nations in the continent have witnessed a crisis of democracy that led to unconstitutional change of governments, which derailed their democratic quest for peace and development.
According to him, NIgerians must not allow elections to be a source of violence and anarchy.
“We must desist from the temptation of yielding to those desirous of making our communities and states, theatres of conflicts for their selfish ends.
“Let us realise that the primary purpose of democracy is to uphold the freedom and dignity of citizens and deploy the instruments of governance toward advancing and improving the well-being of our people.
“We should strive to consolidate the gains we have recorded in our democracy in the last two decades by ensuring that the elections are peaceful, just, and fair,” Jonathan said.
He also urged politicians to eschew hatred and violence, be circumspect in their actions and work towards consolidating the nation’s democracy.
