Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has advocated the need for new law that will prevent the courts from declaring a winner in an election.
Jonathan insists situations where the judiciary declare winners fraudulently in an election is not democratic and should not be encouraged.
He explained further that a court should only be made to order for a re-run of an election when a politician or electoral system is found wanting, not declare a winner.
He adds that ballot papers should be the basis of selecting political officeholders. If the judiciary selects them, then we are not yet there.
The laws should stop handing the prerogative of returning candidates to the judiciary. Instead, ballots should decide who occupies political seats be it Councillors or the Presidents in a democracy.”
While addressing a situation where politicians influence voters during the electoral process with gifts, the ex-President called for punitive measures against those who indulge in the unwholesome act.
