Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has charged global leaders to seek to enthrone peace in the world through the practice of true democracy and people-oriented leadership in their respective countries.
Dr. Jonathan also made a case for good governance, which he described as the trigger for political stability, progress and inclusive development, adding that world leaders should commit to building on the common ground of promoting a democratic culture anchored on justice and solidarity among all peoples.
The former President stated this on Saturday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at the International Leadership Conference, jointly organised by the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) and the Asian Vision Institute (AVI).
Speaking on the need for true democracy, Dr. Jonathan noted that when citizens are allowed to freely exercise their electoral mandate, they would be voting for lasting peace and sustainable development and standing up against repression, dictatorship and abuse of the rights of citizens.
The former President who spoke a day before the Cambodian general election, said further: “We are all happy to be here today and we will be glad to witness the good people of this great country exercise this democratic right on Sunday, to elect the leaders of their choice for the next governance cycle in Cambodia.
“I urge world leaders to truly imbibe and embrace these principles of true democracy by not just overseeing routine elections but conducting elections that are free, fair, inclusive, transparent and credible towards placing governance at the service of the people and establishing a culture of global peace and harmony.
“Frankly speaking, talking about elections, it is important to note that election value chain through voting in the field, processing and collating of results to announcement of the outcomes, and in some countries, the judicial procedures where the processes go through litigations, must be built on a solid foundation of justice for democracy to function effectively.
“The International Summit Council for Peace, ISCP-Africa, which I chair, will continue to advocate for a democratic culture rooted in free, fair elections, rule of law and good governance.”
He further charged world leaders and nations to foster mutually beneficial cooperation and interdependence in the interest of global wellbeing and harmony. He said: “The world will be better for it when we commit to building on the common ground we all share as one human family and promoting greater solidarity among all peoples.
“On this note, let me remind all of us that before COVID-19 Pandemic, some nations had been under the impression that they could survive solely on their own. However, the COVID-19 experience has made it very clear that the whole world must work together for the peace and security of humanity. Of course up to this time, many nations are still struggling to recover from the harmful effect and deadly impact of the pandemic. The experience has indeed demonstrated the need for inter-dependence, mutual prosperity and shared values as enunciated by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF).”
Ikechukwu Eze
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