2023 Election: Ongoing Primaries A Mess, Not Standard Practice – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that the ongoing political party primaries across the country are a mess and lack standard practice.

Jonathan who spoke at a book launch titled “Political Party Governance” authored by Dr. Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of State for Power, on Thursday May 26, said it is shameful to induce delegates to get their votes and then request for refund after failing to secure tickets.

He 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 is 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.”

Jonathan asked the National Assembly to make laws to criminalise inducement of delegates and electorate, and also to expunge from the Electoral Act, the sections that state how political parties should select candidates for elections.

He added;

“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.”

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