Former President Goodluck Jonathan says he is ashamed that Nigeria is now being used as a negative example in the international community.
He cited recent instances when the Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, mocked the poor state of security in Nigeria and the naira’s weakening status.
Jonathan spoke at the inauguration of the first bridge built by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Friday night.
The former President lamented that things were so bad in the country that Nigeria had lost its respect in Africa.
He said, “He (Ghanaian President) said Ghana is not like Nigeria where cattle roam the streets. At another occasion in the United Kingdom, he made scathing remarks about Nigeria’s currency.
“I feel ashamed as a former President that the president of a neighbouring country used Nigeria as negative examples.
“If a neighbouring African president will use Nigeria to make negative examples, then we as leaders must know certain things are wrong in the country. That means we as leaders must change the way we do things.”
The former President, therefore, urged Nigerian leaders to show serious concern, noting that many things had gone wrong in the country.
Jonathan also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to resist pressure to rig the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State and subsequent elections in the country.