‘You Can’t Break the Rules and Call It Politics’ — Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned politicians against justifying misconduct in the pursuit of electoral victory, saying political competition must operate within established rules.

Jonathan spoke on Thursday in Abuja while delivering a goodwill message at a public lecture organised to mark the 80th birthday of Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN) and former Attorney-General of the Federation(AGF), Kanu Agabi.

The former president said politicians must not describe actions that violate laws or accepted standards as part of the political process.

He argued that the desire to win elections should never become an excuse for misconduct, adding that politics, like every organised competition, has rules that participants must respect.

“In politics, it’s a disaster. People do stupid things, also even criminal things. And they will tell you it is politics. It is not politics. Politics has rules,” Jonathan stated.

Jonathan compared political contests to football matches, where players must operate within clearly defined rules. He noted that courts intervene when political actors breach those rules.

“Politics is like a soccer match. You play according to the rules,” the former president added.

According to him, allowing politicians to do anything in the name of winning elections would undermine the political system and weaken public confidence in democratic institutions.

Jonathan also linked the quality of political leadership to Nigeria’s wider battle against corruption. He maintained that the country would not defeat corruption simply by creating more laws or empowering enforcement agencies.

Instead, he called for a social culture that places greater value on integrity, accountability and responsible conduct.

“The challenge before Nigeria is not simply to make laws against corruption. It’s to build a culture in which ethical conduct becomes a norm, where public office is treated as a trust,” he said.

The former president stressed that strong institutions must accompany such a culture. He also urged citizens to stop celebrating questionable wealth or overlooking wrongdoing because of a person’s influence.

Jonathan recalled an experience in Rwanda to illustrate how social values can influence public conduct. He said he encountered a culture where people could reject gifts if they considered them inappropriate.

According to him, the experience showed that societal expectations can discourage certain forms of misconduct even when no formal law prevents them.

The former president therefore urged Nigerians to develop social values that discourage corruption before it reaches the point of investigation or prosecution.

He also criticised the practice of giving prominent positions and public recognition to people suspected of wrongdoing because of their wealth or influence.

Jonathan said religious, traditional and political institutions should play their part by promoting integrity rather than glorifying unexplained wealth.

“All of us Nigerians have the major role to play if we want to suppress corruption, not just the bodies established by law to discipline and punish those who do it,” he stressed.

He further called for greater discipline among political leaders, arguing that leaders must first demonstrate the values they expect from citizens.

“It does not take a lifetime to deal with this kind of issue. But maximum discipline by the leaders. Because if the leaders are not disciplined, the followers are not disciplined,” Jonathan stated.

The former president urged Nigerians to remain hopeful despite the country’s challenges. He said progress would depend on leaders and citizens accepting their shared responsibility to build a society founded on ethical conduct.

Jonathan’s remarks came against the backdrop of continued concerns over electoral conduct and corruption in public life, with the former president stressing that stronger democratic institutions require both adherence to rules and responsible behaviour from political actors.