Jonathan's Selfless Act in 2015 Saved Nigeria's Democracy - Labour Party

The Labour Party has commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for his selfless act in conceding defeat during the 2015 general election, saying it was a pivotal moment that saved Nigeria's democracy from collapse. According to the party's National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, Jonathan's decision to concede defeat to Muhammadu Buhari, even before the final results were announced, demonstrated his commitment to the country's stability and growth. Usman made this statement on the sidelines of the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi State, where she urged politicians seeking elective offices in 2027 to emulate Jonathan's non-violent approach to politics. The Labour Party chairman argued that Jonathan's concession of defeat in 2015 defied predictions of a possible breakdown of democracy in the country, and it was a principled approach that had never been seen before in Nigeria's political landscape. Usman recalled that Jonathan had consistently maintained that his election or remaining in power was not worth the blood of any Nigerian, and he lived up to this mantra when it mattered most. The Labour Party chairman also questioned whether politicians seeking the presidency in 2027 would be prepared to make similar sacrifices for the sake of national unity, given the inflammatory rhetoric emanating from some political camps. On the party's preparedness for the 2027 elections, Usman described the Labour Party as the most structured opposition political party in the country, with a strong relationship with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress. The party's relationship with these organizations, she said, had strengthened its political structure nationwide, making it the only opposition party with a realistic presence across the country's 186,000 polling units. The 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue, which was themed 'Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?', attracted several political leaders and dignitaries, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, and the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.