Former President, Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said the court should not be allowed to determine the winners of elections in Nigeria because it weakens democracy.

He said the nation’s electoral laws should be structured in such a way that only ballot papers determined winners of elections.

According to him, the standard practice is that the electoral management bodies exercise the sole responsibility of returning candidates and declaring winners while the judiciary complemented by either upholding declared results or nullifying flawed elections and ordering a rerun.

Jonathan spoke an interaction during a visit to TOSTV Network studios in Abuja.

He said: “I had already made a public statement on that to the effect that the ballot paper and not the judiciary should determine who wins elections or select political leaders. The ballot paper should be the only basis for selecting political leaders.”

Jonathan further noted that countries that conduct free and fair elections experience fewer election-related litigations while numerous court cases following elections are the hallmark of fragile democracies.

“I have said this before and I will always repeat it. I am not saying the judiciary is not doing well. But my point is that our laws should suppress the issue of the judiciary returning candidates.

Read Also: If my son is kidnapped, I will rather pray for him to make heaven than pay any ransom – Governor El-Rufai

“If a candidate is declared the winner after a flawed electoral process, what the courts can do is to annul the election and order a fresh one, where a winner will finally emerge through the ballot. The ballot paper should decide who holds any elective office from the councillorship to the presidency. That is a democracy,” he added.

The former President who also admitted that some funds might be needed in elections, especially in the area of logistics during campaigns, however, frowned at the negative way money is deployed in inducing electorates, officials and security operatives.

source: https://newstrack.oak.tv/courts-shouldnt-determine-election-winners-jonathan/

As long as the looser is not you(JONATHAN), they will always head to court, it's high time africa politicians start realizing that in every election there must be a winner and a looser, if you loose just eccept the defit and wait for next time.

Yes..just as losser go put call,even when dem neva count result finish..gudluck,gudluck,gudlock..how many times i call u?

oaktvnigeria:
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said the court should not be allowed to determine the winners of elections in Nigeria because it weakens democracy.

He said the nation’s electoral laws should be structured in such a way that only ballot papers determined winners of elections.

According to him, the standard practice is that the electoral management bodies exercise the sole responsibility of returning candidates and declaring winners while the judiciary complemented by either upholding declared results or nullifying flawed elections and ordering a rerun.

Jonathan spoke an interaction during a visit to TOSTV Network studios in Abuja.

He said: “I had already made a public statement on that to the effect that the ballot paper and not the judiciary should determine who wins elections or select political leaders. The ballot paper should be the only basis for selecting political leaders.”

Jonathan further noted that countries that conduct free and fair elections experience fewer election-related litigations while numerous court cases following elections are the hallmark of fragile democracies.

“I have said this before and I will always repeat it. I am not saying the judiciary is not doing well. But my point is that our laws should suppress the issue of the judiciary returning candidates.

Read Also: If my son is kidnapped, I will rather pray for him to make heaven than pay any ransom – Governor El-Rufai

“If a candidate is declared the winner after a flawed electoral process, what the courts can do is to annul the election and order a fresh one, where a winner will finally emerge through the ballot. The ballot paper should decide who holds any elective office from the councillorship to the presidency. That is a democracy,” he added.

The former President who also admitted that some funds might be needed in elections, especially in the area of logistics during campaigns, however, frowned at the negative way money is deployed in inducing electorates, officials and security operatives.

source: https://newstrack.oak.tv/courts-shouldnt-determine-election-winners-jonathan/

Oga Jona , my amiable president you are 100% correct always on point.
We are anxiously waiting and praying for your return to power sir.
Don't listen to nay Sayers please return to your office to complete the good works you started.

The Court has never determined winners in election, they only interpret the law and the electoral Act guiding the elections.

Election Tribunals were setup to


Though highly hijacked by politicians but the point should be about judicial

That Place Calld Court Is Managed By Political Warlords, So To Say, Our Judiciary Is Under Private Pocket Of Political Players.

You are correct, but I know some people will attack the messenger not the messages.

Yes. A repeat of IMO kind of judgment must never ever happen.

And the judgment should never ever be referred to as a judicial precedent.

It’s an anomaly that generations yet unborn must be informed of as one of our darkest hours as a country.

So GEJ is right.

ok good to know

Not a fan of gej but he is very right here. It's better to have a rerun than the court deciding who should be elected

SUPPORTED.

You're right Pres. GEJ

SpeakOutNaija:
The Court has never determined winners in election, they only interpret the law and the electoral Act guiding the elections.

Election Tribunals were setup to


Though highly hijacked by politicians but the point should be about judicial

Yes, the court determined some winners in Nigeria. One typical exam is Zamfara. Voters vote for parties and not candidate (according to our law), no voter knows if a party is in crisis or not, so when you go out to vote for ABC, after the election with ABC declared as winner, the court is now saying ABC is in crisis so all winning slot taken away and given to XYZ. Also, the case of Imo where a party in fourth abi Na third became a beneficiary as a result of the court.
In any law, for anything that is not explicitly stated, you consider the spirit (context) of such law, our courts are no longer interested in such, that's why a court can grant a perpetual injunction against investigation of suspected looter.