ACCRA, GHANA — Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has advised former President Goodluck Jonathan to exercise caution as he considers mounting pressure to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Democracy Dialogue of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Kukah hailed Jonathan’s historic 2015 concession of defeat as a defining sacrifice that safeguarded Nigeria’s democracy.
He noted that Jonathan, despite having the power and resources to resist the outcome, chose peace — a decision Kukah described as “divine” and one that restored faith in democratic governance.
Quoting former Defence Minister, General Theophilus Danjuma, the cleric warned: “The voice of the devil is not so far from the voice of God. Listen very carefully to those who want to use you as an instrument for the elongation of their interests, and not your interests or the interests of Nigeria.”
Kukah urged Jonathan to reflect deeply, pray, and let conscience guide any decision about a political comeback.
“On March 31, 2015, even before the elections concluded, when you made that call, you were answering what to me was more or less a divine call,” Kukah said, recalling Jonathan’s concession. “By that act, you gave Nigerians hope, dignity, and a true sense of what democracy should look like.”
He added that Jonathan’s legacy of sacrifice remains the reason many, including himself, continue to honor his calls. However, he emphasized that any future decision must be guided by the national interest, not political manipulation.
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