Thursday, August 28, 2025 - Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system, focusing particularly on the process of appointing the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman and the rising trend of political defections.
Speaking at the National Action Plan for Electoral Reform
Dialogue, organised by the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought,
Jonathan, represented by the Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan
Foundation, Ann Iyonu, acknowledged progress since the return to democratic
rule in 1999 but highlighted persistent flaws in the electoral system.
“Nigeria has made notable progress since our return to
democratic rule, but we must acknowledge that our electoral system still faces
significant challenges. If we are truly committed to democracy, we must be bold
enough to reform the process to better reflect the will of the people and the
principles of justice, accountability, and inclusion,” he said.
Jonathan proposed a review of the process for appointing the
INEC Chairman, recommending that an independent panel, composed of
representatives from the judiciary, civil society, academia, trade unions, and
professional bodies, should handle screening and nomination.
“Credibility of elections rests heavily on the neutrality
and competence of the independent National Electoral Commission. So many
questions have continued to be raised on the propriety of the process of
appointing the INEC Chairman. I believe that Nigeria can also improve the
process by establishing an independent screening and nomination mechanism.
This reform will reduce perceptions of bias, it will promote
public trust in INEC, and enhance the legitimacy of its decisions,” Jonathan
added.
On the issue of political defections, Jonathan criticised
the increasing practice of “cross-cupping,” where elected officials abandon the
parties under which they were elected, often without ideological justification
or accountability.
“Parties are the foundation of any democracy, but in our
context they have become vulnerable to opportunism and instability. We have
seen a disturbing rise in the practice of cross-cupping — elected officials
defecting from the parties under which they were elected… To remedy this, we
should strongly consider the establishment of an independent Office of the
Registrar of Political Parties charged with regulating party operations,
promoting internal democracy, and enforcing party discipline,” he said.
He explained that such registrar would have the “authority
to declare the seat of any defector vacant.” He noted that similar systems have
worked in Kenya and Malawi, affirming “the principle that the electoral mandate
belongs to the people and not to individual ambition.”
Jonathan also stressed the need to resolve all post-election
disputes before the swearing-in of elected officials, warning that unresolved
cases disrupt governance and erode public confidence.
“It creates confusion and undermines governance when
candidates with unresolved election cases assume office only to be later
removed by the courts. This undermines the authority of the office and the
credibility of the electoral process… Justice delayed in elections is justice
denied, not just for the candidates, but for the electorate,” he said,
Furthermore, he suggested that the judicial process be
streamlined by “reducing the number of courts handling electoral cases,”
particularly for governorship and presidential elections.
In his closing remarks, Jonathan underscored that electoral
reforms are not partisan but essential to building a stronger democracy.
“Democracy is not just about casting ballots. It is about
building institutions, promoting accountability, and protecting the citizens.
The reforms we are discussing today are not partisan. They are patriotic. They
are not meant to benefit any one group, but to strengthen Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples
Democratic Party, Debo Ologunagba, reiterated that the party has several
qualified candidates for the 2027 presidential election, noting that Jonathan
remains a member of the PDP.
Ologunagba said this when he appeared on Arive TV Morning
Show on Wednesday.
“When you may refer to President Jonathan, President
Jonathan is still a member of this party because he has not resigned. And Mr.
Obi is a presidential candidate in the last election for another political
party. He has not indicated that he’s joining the party. So, for me, it would
be improper for me to begin to comment on that. What I can comment on is our
capacity, even as we stand, that we have exceedingly qualified individuals,”
Ologunagba said.
He also praised Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, describing
him as one of the PDP’s “poster boys” in terms of performance and ability to
galvanise Nigerians.
“So, for us, we have, in the party today, very eminently
qualified Nigerians and governors who are performing. And Nigerians can
recognise that,” he stated.
0 Comments