Don’t Elect Greedy Politicians in 2023, Jonathan Tasks Nigerians

Laleye Dipo in Minna

As Nigeria prepares to elect another president to pilot her affairs for another four years come 2023, former President Goodluck Jonathan has tasked Nigerians not to elect greedy politicians who will not think about the interest of the country but what they can amass for themselves.

Jonathan gave the charge in Minna, Niger State Thursday, in a chat with newsmen  after paying a courtesy visit to former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), at his uphill residence.

“We all wish our country well especially for the young people. Elections are coming; they have to select the person you believe that will lead us well, serve us well. The leader is also a servant; as a president, you lead, you serve,” Jonathan said.

He added that Nigeria needs “somebody that will take the interest of all of us; the interest of the country; somebody that will not compromise our own interest for his own aggrandizement”.

The former president said in 2023, Nigeria also needs “somebody that will carry all of us along, most especially, somebody that will take Nigeria as a project”.

He prayed that Nigeria will have a free and fair election which will be conducted in an environment that there will be peace and love.

On the reason for his visit to Minna, Jonathan, who described himself as the most junior among all the former presidents, said: “From time to time, I used to go round and greet them. For sometime now, I have not seen Gen. Abdulsalami.

“There is nothing special about the visit, it is a regular visit that I normally do.”

Jonathan said Nigeria needs the services of Abdulsalami now that “we are talking about election. You know he chairs the National Peace Committee that tries to midwife the peace process during election.

“There is so much pressure on him now so that the 2023 election will be conducted freely, fairly and in an environment that there will be peace and love”.

Dr Jonathan also visited former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, at his Minna residence.

He arrived Abdulsalami’s residence at about 1.59pm and went into a closed door meeting with the former military Head of State for about 57 minutes before moving to Babangida’s residence.