Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday, November 24, has warned university lecturers against rigging elections in the country.
The former President charged them to protect the integrity of the nation’s democracy by resisting the entreaties and pressure from politicians to do the wrong things.
He stated this Saturday in an address he delivered at the 10th anniversary celebration of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu..
Speaking on the role of academia in good governance and nation building, Jonathan said, “The involvement of the academia in our electoral process is premised on the assumption that academics are people of proven integrity, who cannot be compromised.
“However, our scholars should know that they bear the responsibility of justifying the trust placed on them by other members of the society in the management of elections.
“Any member of the academia who compromises what he stands for, by getting involved in the manipulation of elections, betrays that trust.
“Like parents, lecturers and teachers should always bear in mind that the important part they play in nurturing and guiding of younger ones project them as consequential role models.
“It is dangerous for members of the academia to get involved in election malpractices because of its wider implication for the future of our country.”
