Speaking on Wednesday at the Democracy Dialogue of the
Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Kukah praised Jonathan’s 2015
conceding of defeat as a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, describing it
as an act of sacrifice and honor.

He noted that Jonathan had the power and resources to resist
the outcome of the election but instead chose peace, a decision Kukah said
restored hope in democratic governance.

However, the cleric cautioned the former president to tread
carefully in considering a political comeback.

Quoting former Defence Minister, General Theophilus Danjuma,
Kukah said: “The voice of the devil is not so far from the voice of God. Listen
very carefully to those who want to use you as an instrument for the elongation
of their interests, and not your interests or the interests of Nigeria.”

He urged Jonathan to reflect deeply, pray, and make a
decision guided by conscience and the national interest.

He said: “I therefore want to end by saying, first of all,
it’s a great honor, President Jonathan, for me to be here. When you took that
decision on March, 31, 2015, he’s written a little book, which you should read
‘My Transition Hours’, when you took that decision, was one of those moments
that it was between yourself, your conscience, your God against the run of
play. O the 31st of March, 2015, even before the elections had concluded, when
you made that call, you were answering what to me was more or less a divine
call.

“And by taking that decision, not only did you reverse, and
I think your successor made the point himself over and over that you had all
the military, you had all the paraphernalia of power around you.

“It would have been possible to instigate a war, but by
taking that decision, in my view, the people of Athens entrusted into your
hands, a touch of hope, a touch of what democracy should look like, the honor,
the dignity, the sense of sacrifice, that is what democracy is all about.

“You illustrated that, and it’s the reason why when you
call, I will come, when you knock, I will open the door. Because right now I
had to excuse myself from a meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of
Nigeria, which is still on. Our meeting is finishing, actually, on Sunday, but
I had to excuse myself to be here because I thought it was a great honor for
me, you know, to be with you.

“But please, General Theophilus Danjuma, one of our greatest
statesmen, President Obasanjo’s colleague, once said very often, the voice of
the devil is not so far from the voice of God.

“Listen very carefully to those who want to use you as an
instrument for the elongation of their interests, and not your interests or the
interests of Nigeria. Think very clearly. Pray very clearly. Final decision,
it’s your call.”