Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concern over the rising rate of votes buying in Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Jonathan also decried that vote buying which is gradually replacing other forms of electoral malpractices in Nigeria has become scandalous placing the country in bad light at the international community.
He made these observations on Tuesday at the launching of his book titled: ‘My Transition Hours’ at Trancorp Hilton Abuja where he pointed out that voters inducement through engraving of pictures of candidates and political party logos on gift items during elections is another rampant strategy of vote buying in Nigeria which must stop.
The former President suggested that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC should borrow a leaf from other African Countries and create polling centres in public places such as schools where classrooms are used for voting making vote buying difficult.
Jonathan explained that the book was his personal account of the happenings during the 2015 general elections and the events that led to his phone to Muhammadu Buhari that dosed the political tension and the peaceful transition from the ruling party (PDP) to opposition party(APC).
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted Jonathan for his statesmanship, sportsmanship and uncommon courage of conceding victory to him in 2015 when collation was still process, thereby stabilizing the already charged political atmosphere during the elections.
Buhari who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha recalled how Jonathan vowed that his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian and called on political leaders to toll the same part and should not look at elections as declaration of war as the 2019 polls approach.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was Chairman of the occasion also hailed the statesmanship disposition of Jonathan and charged him to remain committed to his residual responsibility of continuous service to his immediate community, Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
Similarly, former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon thanked Jonathan for conceding defeat in 2015 to save Nigeria from impending war and consolidating democracy not only in the country but the entire African continent.
Speaking on behalf of African Leaders, former Ghanian President, John Mahama, hailed former President Jonathan for his role in fostering unity, peace, progress and strengthening democratic rule in Africa, stressing that, “Goodluck Jonathan is a good man. When the history of democracy in Africa is written his name will be etched in gold”.
James Kwen, Abuja
