Politics of bitterness bane of Nigeria’s development —Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concern over the politics of bitterness and negative energy being exhibited by the political class in the build-up to the 2023 general elections across the country as being inimical to the development of Nigeria.

Jonathan who made the remarks on Monday while inaugurating the 1.15 km Afi-Uko Nteghe Uda Bridge on Etebi-Enwang Road, in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, said he was really worried with the way politicians were moving away from speaking to issues and are rather concentrating efforts in attacking opponents.

“I am a bit worried by the negative energy generated ahead of the 2023 elections. We have noticed a level of bitterness in our politics that does not bring development, and I plead with politicians to realise that politics is about marketing your ideas. Politics is not about fighting, insulting, or abusing,” the ex-president said.

READ ALSO:Ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, wants Section 84(12) of Electoral Act scrapped

“We have been reading in the newspapers and on social media about how billboards of presidential candidates, and governorship candidates are pulled down by hoodlums, but sometimes they say some governments even support those kinds of things.

“I believe anybody who commits a crime should not be covered under politics. Arson is arson and is never status-bound, so somebody who commits a crime, like burning houses or killing people, must keep a record, and whatever the investigation reveals, such people should be prosecuted; that is the only way people would stop doing this,” he said.

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