Former President Goodluck Jonathan says his membership of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) is one of the reasons for his continued absence from active and partisan politics.
Jonathan said this while speaking at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) in Abuja on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
The event was also with a gala dinner held to mark the 68th birthday anniversary of the former president.
Speaking on why he hasn’t been involved in active politics, Jonathan said WAEF membership comes with a strict condition of non-partisanship.
He stated that the forum was a preventive diplomacy initiative made up of former presidents who visit countries within the sub-region during election periods to mediate and prevent crises resulting from poorly managed elections.
The former president said: “The idea is that we observe the elections, but we are not co-observers.
“We go there to make sure that if we notice anything that is coming up negatively, we intervene and try to see what we could do so that those issues will not snowball into full crisis.
“The condition to be a member of the WAEF is that you must be a former president within the sub-region and a former president of ECOWAS.
Jonathan: My rise to presidency a political miracle
“One clear condition is that you will no longer be an active politician and that is why I am disappointing most of my political associates.
“They expect me to play active role in politics, but before I play active role in politics, I will first and foremost resign from the WAEF.”
Speaking on the state of the nation, Jonathan decried the situation in politics, charging politicians to conduct themselves with decorum and a sense of responsibility.
Jonathan said unlike other professions such as teaching, which require training and certification, individuals often enter politics and assume leadership positions without basic training.
“We must change the face of politics. We must see politics as a business of responsible individuals,” he said.
The former president also condemned the recent kidnapping of about 25 girls in Kebbi, noting that the incident reminded him of the abduction of the Chibok girls during his tenure.
He offered condolences to the families of the victims and called for prayers for the speedy rescue of the abductees and an end to such situations in Nigeria.
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