Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed confidence that Thursday's general elections will be conducted in a free and fair manner, urging political actors to participate without fear as the country heads to the polls.
Jonathan, who is leading a team of African election observers, made the remarks during a courtesy visit to the Common Man’s Party (CMP) headquarters in Lubaga, where he met party president Mubarack Munyagwa and other senior officials.
The engagement formed part of the observers’ broader consultations with political stakeholders ahead of the elections.
Addressing party members, Jonathan said the presence of election observers is intended to promote transparency, credibility, and public trust in the electoral process, while discouraging malpractice and intimidation.
During the meeting, CMP officials raised concerns over what they described as a tense political environment, citing heavy security deployment in parts of the country and alleged incidents of violence targeting party supporters.
Munyagwa also accused the Electoral Commission of disqualifying several CMP candidates from contesting for various leadership positions, despite assurances of preparedness.
He added that the party had submitted recommendations to the Electoral Commission aimed at ensuring a free and fair electoral process, but said the Commission had not responded.
CMP Secretary General Moses said that although the party is relatively new, it has registered significant growth and is driven by a long-term vision of inclusive governance.
Party member Bigirwa questioned how political leadership in Uganda could be detached from military influence and returned to civilian control, appealing to Jonathan to exercise fairness in his role as head of the observers’ mission.
He also noted that the party has many members prepared to contest leadership positions across the country.
Additional concerns raised included the use of biometric voting machines, challenges with the voters’ register, and alleged harassment by rival political groups.
In response, Jonathan said the observer mission is committed to listening to all political actors and documenting challenges to help strengthen the integrity of the electoral process.
He reiterated that election observers seek to calm tensions and support peaceful, transparent, and credible elections.
