Former President Goodluck Jonathan has asserted that the recent Edo State governorship election, held on Saturday, September 21, demonstrated that technology alone cannot resolve Nigeria's electoral challenges.
Speaking at an event in Abuja organized by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and its partners to mark the International Day of Peace, Jonathan emphasized that the human mindset is crucial in addressing the nation’s electoral issues. He expressed concern over the unethical attitudes many Nigerians exhibit towards politics.
Jonathan, who is notably the first Nigerian president to hand over power to an opposition party after losing at the polls, observed that there was more tension following the Edo election than before, due to perceptions of irregularities. He argued that technology, in itself, cannot address Nigeria's electoral problems if the human mind remains corrupt, as even advanced systems could be manipulated.
"Here in Nigeria, we talk about technology. Without the human mind ready to do what is right, if we bring the technology, they will manipulate it," Jonathan stated. He noted that conflict across Africa often stems from leadership struggles, with a significant number of disputes arising from contests for power. "When you analyze the causes of conflicts in Africa, you’ll often find that leadership struggles are at the core," he added, expressing particular concern about Nigeria's situation.
As chairman of the event, Jonathan also challenged the notion that politics is inherently dirty, attributing the negative state of politics in Nigeria and Africa to the behavior of its players, rather than the nature of politics itself.
