Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged urgent reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system. He emphasised changes to the appointment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman and condemned the rising trend of defections.
Jonathan made the call at the National Action Plan for Electoral Reform Dialogue in Abuja, organised by the School of Social and Political Thought. According to PUNCH, Ann Iyonu, Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, represented Jonathan at the event.
INEC Chairman Appointment
Jonathan argued that Nigeria has made progress since 1999, yet the electoral process still suffers from key flaws.
“If we are truly committed to democracy, we must ensure the people’s will guides the process, along with justice, accountability, and inclusion,” he said.
Therefore, he proposed that an independent panel should handle the screening and nomination of the INEC chairman. The panel, he explained, should include representatives from the judiciary, civil society, academia, trade unions, and professional groups. With this reform, trust in INEC would improve and elections would appear more credible.
Defections and Party Stability
In addition, Jonathan criticised politicians who abandon their parties without ideological justification. He warned that this practice weakens democracy and destabilises governance.
“Parties are the foundation of any democracy, but they have become vulnerable to opportunism and instability,” he noted.
To solve this, Jonathan advised the creation of an Office of the Registrar of Political Parties. Such an office, he said, would regulate party activities, enforce internal democracy, and even declare seats vacant when lawmakers defect without cause. Moreover, he pointed out that Kenya and Malawi already use similar systems successfully.
Election Disputes and Judicial Reform
Jonathan further urged that election petitions should be resolved before any swearing-in. He insisted that inaugurating candidates with unresolved disputes confuses citizens and damages public trust.
“It creates confusion when candidates with unresolved cases assume office, only for the courts to later remove them. Justice delayed in elections is justice denied,” he argued.
Consequently, he advised the judiciary to streamline the process by assigning fewer courts to handle presidential and governorship petitions. This, he explained, would quicken rulings and strengthen electoral justice.
PDP on 2027 Elections
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Debo Ologunagba assured Nigerians that the party has several credible aspirants ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking on Arise TV, Ologunagba clarified that Jonathan remains a PDP member. Furthermore, he praised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as one of the party’s strongest performers.
“We have very eminently qualified Nigerians and governors who are performing. Nigerians can recognise that,” he said.
In conclusion, Jonathan stressed that electoral reforms are not partisan but patriotic. According to him, the changes will protect citizens, strengthen institutions, and secure Nigeria’s democracy.
