Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Saturday, shied away from commenting on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers and the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Bola Tinubu had, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, declared the state of emergency, citing the escalating political crisis in the state as reason for the action.
NAN also reports that the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of the house of assembly was for an initial period of six months.
Jonathan, while speaking at a colloquium organised by Haske Satumari Foundation in Abuja on Saturday, said that a lot of people had reached out to him for his comment on the political situation in Rivers.
“As a leader from the Niger Delta, people had been reaching out to me for my comment on the political situation in Rivers State,” he said.
The former president, however, said that it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on policies and actions of their successors, to avoid heating up the polity.
Jonathan, who refused to make any specific comment on the development, however, went proverbial.
“The situation in Rivers State is like an Indian proverb which says that if somebody is really sleeping, you can easily wake him up, but if the person is pretending to sleep, it will be difficult to wake such a person up,” he said.
The former president, who was the chairman of the occasion, urged the country’s leadership to avoid taking actions that can negatively impact the image of Nigeria.
NAN reports that the colloquium was on promoting social change and empowerment through diversity, equity and inclusion.
Jonathan particularly called on the leadership of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary to always do the right thing while in office.
He also advised them against compromising their offices and positions.
“Whatever happens in a country, the decisions taken by the executive arm of government, the parliament and the judiciary affect everybody.
“Whatever we do affects everybody, and if we must build a nation for our children and grandchildren, no matter how painful it is, we must try to do what is right,” he said.
Jonathan stated that assessment of Nigeria by the international community and how much investment it would be able to attract would depend on the positive actions of its leaders towards advancing democracy and good governance.
According to him, building the society where no one is oppressed is the hallmark of good leadership, leveraging the transformative power of diversity, equity and inclusion for social change.
“I believe that it is the hallmark of good leadership and governance to be able to leverage the transformative power of diversity, equity and inclusion for social change.
“As a leader, I have seen how these values can bring people together, foster a sense of belonging and unlock the full potential of individuals and communities.
“I have also seen how the absence of these values can lead to division, inequality and social unrest.
“It is, therefore, our responsibility as leaders and change-makers to promote a culture of diversity and inclusion; one that values and respects the dignity and worth of every human being and protects the interests of all,” he said.
The former president further stated that any society with these attributes would be deemed to be innovative, resilient and harmonious.
“I know this because I saw how policies that promoted gender equality, youth empowerment and regional balance during my time as president helped bridge divides and foster national unity,” he said. (NAN)
