'If You Lose The Election, Accept Defeat'– Jonathan Tells Tanzanian Politicians

Forum 8 years ago

'If You Lose The Election, Accept Defeat'– Jonathan Tells Tanzanian Politicians

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is
currently leading a delegation of Commonwealth
election observers to Tanzania, has urged those
vying for that country’s presidential election to
promptly accept the outcome should they be
defeated in the October 25 election. “If you lose, accept defeat,” he admonished them,
warning that any attempt to reject the will of the
people will only lead to chaos and affect the peace
and unity of Tanzania.


Jonathan, who has been speaking with election
stakeholders in Dar es Salaam, comprising the
chairman of the electoral commission, leaders of
political parties, journalists, youth organizations and
the civil society, said it was imperative for them to
realize that all stakeholders must play their part for the election to be free and fair.


He told them that he immediately accepted defeat
after losing his re-election bid early this year because
he did not want personal ambition to derail
democracy in Nigeria, stressing that he was not
ready to allow his “personal ambition to scuttle a
democratic system I had helped to nurture.”


“In any election, there are winners and losers. The
presidential candidate who loses on Sunday should
gracefully concede the election to avert a political
crisis.”


Tanzania’s two leading national newspapers, The
Guardian and The Citizen, which have been
celebrating the former Nigerian leader since his
arrival on Monday, quoted him as saying: “If all
parties, including the national electoral commission,
political parties, and police force will play their role, nothing will stop Tanzania to record a free and fair
election this year. “Successful elections will depend on how each
stakeholder plays his or her role to ensure a
peaceful, inclusive and transparent electoral
process…I’m confident Tanzanians will achieve
this.”


He assured the public that the Commonwealth
Observers Group would perform their observation
role with impartiality, independence and
transparency. He also said the group would issue an
interim statement on the preliminary findings shortly
after the elections, while a final report would be prepared in Tanzania. “We will also submit the report on the Tanzanian
elections to the Secretary General of the
Commonwealth and subsequently share with
relevant stakeholders and the public. The group is
scheduled to depart in Tanzania on 31st October
2015,” he stated.
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