The biggest threats to Nigeria’s democracy have been recognized as hate speech, fake news, and propaganda; anyone involved in any of these should be treated as dangerous, much like someone with a gun.

The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation 2022 peace conference, with the topic “Nation Building: The Role of Peaceful Elections in a Multi-Ethnic Context,” revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja.

“I have always said that first we must have a country or State before we start talking about having the President or Governor,” stated Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Chairman of the West African Elders Forum and ECOWAS Council of the Wise, during his vote of gratitude. Everyone who wants to be in a position of leadership and those who support them should understand that peace is necessary before any of them can succeed.The problem of hate speech and propaganda needs to be stopped. We used to fear weapons because we thought they would endanger democracy.
“Today, hate speech, fake news, and propaganda pose the biggest threat to our democracy. Like guns, anyone who supports this poses a threat to democracy.

He made the point that anyone in need of money should go into business instead of politics, since politics is for people who want to provide services.
forth a zoom speech, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former military head of state, chairman of the National Peace Committee, and member of the West African Elders Forum, urged all parties involved to put forth great effort to strengthen the country’s fledgling democracy.

It is now necessary for us to collaborate as Nigerians in order to strengthen democracy. We demand that Nigeria be prioritized before sectional and self-claims, calling on all politicians, political parties, security services, election authorities, and other stakeholders to do so. The general election of 2023 is more than just a political contest; it’s a chance to support Nigeria’s progress and unity, serve Nigeria, and defend it. We all have a responsibility to do this, he stated.
Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated in his goodwill message that he agreed with General Abubakar that efforts should be made to ensure peaceful general elections in 2023 and that the political parties should be redesigned in order for them to function properly.

“One of the institutions that we need to address as soon as possible is the political party system, which creates the framework for election processes,” he declared. I have witnessed the political parties’ contempt for institutional development, which renders the platform useless for directing them to guarantee that their platforms—rather than the agendas of the office holders—are carried out. Only values that you firmly believe in can make you more likeable.

“We need to reengineer the entire electoral process to ensure that the results are acceptable to Nigerians as well as transparency, fairness, and credibility.”

One of the speakers at the occasion, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kuka, urged inclusivity and unity in the political process to guarantee genuine elections in 2023.
He pointed out that while it is generally agreed upon that the nation should hold peaceful elections, the result presents a dilemma.

“Despite my education, injustice in Nigeria has been concretized, repeated over and over, and has become embedded in our political culture,” Bishop Kukah said, lamenting the extent of unfairness in the nation. There is very little chance that I or any other minority will be elected president of Nigeria.

“In Northern Nigeria, it is ingrained in our political culture that Christians are not included when discussing political candidates. In actuality, some individuals dislike the nation in which we currently reside because it has rejected creating an inclusive, equitable, and fair architecture. The entire citizenship debate looms large, just as it does in Nigeria now.

“Having an inclusive structure for political involvement is crucial. The cultures that hold us captive today are hostile to democracy and the rule of law. Violence in our elections is a result of political actors’ lack of discipline.

The law must not pick sides, according to Senator Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, the deputy governor of Bayelsa State who stood in for Governor Douye Diri. He noted that peace would arrive in Nigeria the moment equity was given priority. He went on, “I hope the results of these discussions would shape the 2023 elections.”

Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, gave the populace instructions on how to manage matters of national sensitivities, reconciliation, and the media’s role in promoting false impressions, particularly on social media.
“Have we been able to elect capable individuals to carry out the parties’ manifestos by the time elections are over?” he wondered.

The Foundation was commended by the keynote speaker, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, a former Special Representative of the Secretary-General and President of the ECOWAS Commission. He noted that since the first Peace Conference in 2019, the Foundation has made great progress in promoting the rule of law and peaceful transition of power throughout the West African region.
He stated that the foundation is once more prepared to guarantee and foster an inclusive political calm environment prior to, during, and following the elections in Nigeria in 2023.

“Nations stay together when citizens can communicate with each other and share enough values and preferences,” he stated. Education, the teaching of a common language, the construction of infrastructure to facilitate community integration, and the selection of the degree and method of population homogenization are all effective ways to promote homogeneity among people.

He went on to say that achieving and maintaining peace in a multiethnic society like Nigeria is at the heart of the President Goodluck Jonathan Peace Foundation’s mission, and that Dr. Jonathan remains the benchmark for measuring responsible behavior by political leaders prior to, during, and following elections.

He said, “That fateful day in the post-election period of 2015, when he made that phone conversation, conceding the elections to the then opposition candidate even before the official results were known, is, and will continue to be, a reference point. It was his solitary act of statesmanship. What makes him the renowned international mediator he is today is this, along with his declaration that “no single drop of any Nigerian is worth spilling for my presidential ambition.”

According to Dr. Chambas, the Federal Government should be applauded for giving the 2023 elections appropriate resources, as failing to do so would jeopardize the electoral process and perhaps spark constitutional issues and civil unrest.