Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that Nigeria's political space is increasingly being overtaken by rascality, urging leaders to restore discipline, responsibility and national interest to public office. He spoke at the 10th anniversary of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and a gala dinner marking his 68th birthday on 21 November 2025 at 9:08am WAT.
“For those of us who are in active politics, I still pray that whatever we do affects everybody. And we must play our politics with decorum, with a sense of responsibility, not with rascality. Politics is not a business of rascals.”
Jonathan argued that politics should not be a playground for the untrained or undisciplined, noting that in many sectors, such as primary school teaching, there are established training and certification requirements, whereas politics often lacks such prerequisites. He observed that some individuals become governors without any discernible basic training, a situation he described as problematic.
“Politics is that if you are trying to create leaders, you must show that you are an extremely responsible person. Even to teach in primary school, you go through a training process and get a school certificate before you can even teach in primary school. But it is only in politics that there is no training.”
These remarks came as part of his broader critique of Nigeria’s political leadership landscape, arguing for accountability, discipline, and public service orientation among those in office. The statements emphasize the need for vetting, preparation, and decorum in political participation to avoid leadership by those without adequate grounding.
“Somebody just wakes up and he’s a politician. You don’t know where the person is coming from. The next day, he’s your governor. No basic training, and that is a problem.”
Summary of context: Jonathan delivered these comments during a public address tied to a foundation anniversary and a personal milestone, framing them as a call to restore seriousness and the national interest in governance.
“Politics is not a business of rascals.”
Author’s note: This piece preserves the central message that Nigeria’s political space should emphasize discipline, training, and accountability for leaders, while avoiding repetition of identical phrases across sections.
Авторское резюме: Автор подчёркивает необходимость дисциплины и профессионализма в политике Нигерии, призывая к ответственности лидеров и сохранению национального интереса над личной выгодой.
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