Mr. Jonathan made the call at the public presentation and official launch of the Kukah Centre, founded by prominent cleric and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Fr. Matthew Kukah.
The purpose of Centre is to promote conversations among Nigeria’s faith communities, as well as between leaders in faith and public policy.
Mr. Jonathan said Nigeria’s democracy should be deepened by robust debates, stimulation of innovative ideas and healthy engagements by all actors.
“I call on everyone, the political class, our citizens and more importantly, the academic community to rise up to these challenges posed by this initiative (centre),”
“I think we are over defining our democracy today by quarrelling as if democracy is about competitors quarrelling just like motor park workers,” he said.
“As elections draw close, I call on all politicians to see this as another opportunity for us to renew our commitment to deepen our democracy and strengthen our bond of unity.
“Democracy is not about political parties and politicians alone, it is not just about winning or losing elections; it is about freedom, about development and above all a forward march of our civilisation and encouragement of creativity.
“It is in this regard that we must seek to identify and support the growth of structures and institutions that will help strengthen our democracy to meet our aspirations as a people.”
“I’m personally convinced that the centre could not have finer mentor than the revered gentleman of long patriotic standing, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah,” he added.Mr. Jonathan noted that policy research institutes like the Kukah Centre had been pivotal to the social economic transformation of leading countries of the world.
Credit: NAN
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