Nigeria’s former President and Founder of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), Goodluck Jonathan; former Vice President, Namadi Sambo; Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa; and the immediate past President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, are among prominent statesmen and national leaders billed to attend the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Peace and Security Conference in Abuja.

Mr Touray will deliver the keynote address at the conference, scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 17 November, at the National Defence College.

The conference, themed “Safeguarding Trust and Strengthening Social Cohesion in Competitive Political Environment,” comes at a critical moment as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, with growing concerns about political tensions, public confidence in democratic institutions, national security and the need to sustain peaceful political competition.

The gathering will bring together political leaders, policymakers, security experts, diplomats, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to deliberate on practical approaches to preventing electoral violence, addressing political restiveness, strengthening democratic institutions and promoting national cohesion.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Executive Director of GJF, Ann Iyonu, stressed that peace remains fundamental to the survival of democracy, national development and sustainable economic growth, not only in Nigeria but across the West African subregion.

She noted that Nigeria needs peace to sustain its democracy, strengthen its institutions and create an enabling environment for growth and development, particularly as the country approaches another critical election cycle.

She stated further that Nigeria’s stability has far-reaching implications for the region, given its strategic political, economic and security significance.

According to her, political tensions, electoral violence and declining public trust in democratic institutions in Nigeria could have wider consequences for regional stability, potentially exacerbating insecurity, disrupting economic activities, weakening democratic confidence and undermining ongoing efforts to promote peace and democratic governance across West Africa.

Ms Iyonu emphasised that Nigeria’s commitment to credible elections, peaceful political engagement and respect for democratic institutions is therefore critical to strengthening democratic resilience across the ECOWAS subregion.

She noted that the conference provides an important opportunity for regional leaders and stakeholders to reflect on shared challenges, exchange experiences and advance collective approaches to preventing electoral violence, addressing political instability and sustaining democratic progress.

She further stressed that peaceful political engagement, mutual trust, accountability and respect for democratic processes are essential to preventing conflicts that could undermine national and regional stability and reverse development gains.

The 2026 conference builds on the Foundation’s previous peace conferences held in 2019 and 2022 and forms part of its broader commitment to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, democratic accountability and the promotion of peaceful transitions of political power across Africa.

Discussions at the conference will focus on the intersection of national security and social cohesion in a competitive political environment, particularly the implications of unmanaged political tensions for national stability, economic activities, public confidence and institutional credibility.

It will also examine the role of security institutions in preserving constitutional order and protecting lives and property, while underscoring the need for accountability, public trust, constructive
community engagement and inclusive governance.

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The Foundation believes that an effective approach to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy must go beyond security preparedness to include early conflict prevention, responsible political conduct,
institutional transparency and sustained dialogue among competing interests.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the conference is expected to provide an important platform for national reflection and consensus-building on how to strengthen democratic resilience, prevent political violence and ensure that electoral competition contributes to national development rather than instability.

The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation is committed to promoting democracy, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, good governance and sustainable development in Africa through dialogue, research, advocacy and strategic partnerships.

Ikechukwu Eze
Special Adviser to H.E. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

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Jonathan, ex-VP Sambo, Defence minister, others to attend GJF peace conference in Abuja

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