Former President Jonathan Speaks On Ongoing Primary Elections
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has aired his view on the ongoing political parties primary elections across the country, describing it as a mess.
Jonathan made this known in Abuja during a book launch titled “Political Party Governance” as authored by Dr. Mohammed Wakil, on Thursday.
He described the process used in electing party’s flag bearers as a ‘failed process’ stating that it will not be good to elect leaders using same process.
Jonathan said: “These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. This is not a standard practice. The process has failed.
“We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, senators and House of Representatives members and others.
“The process has already failed, which is not good for the country. But we will manage and move on.
“We pray that good people should come. I hope that what happened this year, 2022 will not happen again in this country.”
The former president called on lawmakers in the country to make laws, criminalizing inducement of delegates and electorate.
He said: “The National Assembly can’t make laws and lock all political parties together. Parties have different ways of nominating candidates and the process is enshrined in their constitutions.
“Creating a situation where all parties must have the same way of selecting candidates is nonsense. Parties are not parastatals of government.
“The National Assembly can’t make laws to strangulate political parties. Section 84 should be expunged from the Electoral Act.”