Former President Goodluck Jonathan has renewed calls for far-reaching reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system, insisting that democracy in the country cannot thrive without stronger institutions and stricter accountability measures.
Jonathan made the call on Wednesday while speaking at the National Action Plan for Electoral Reform Dialogue organised by the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought.
He was represented at the event by the Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ann Iyonu.
The ex-president acknowledged that Nigeria had recorded notable democratic progress since 1999 but warned that the electoral process still suffers major credibility issues.
“Nigeria has made notable progress since our return to democratic rule, but we must acknowledge that our electoral system still faces significant challenges. If we are truly committed to democracy, we must be bold enough to reform the process to better reflect the will of the people and the principles of justice, accountability, and inclusion,” he said.
Jonathan particularly decried the culture of political defections, which he described as opportunistic and destabilising.
He proposed the establishment of an independent Office of the Registrar of Political Parties with the mandate of enforcing internal democracy and party discipline.
“Parties are the foundation of any democracy, but in our context, they have become vulnerable to opportunism and instability.
“We have seen a disturbing rise in the practice of cross-cupping — elected officials defecting from the parties under which they were elected, often without ideological justification or accountability to the electorate.
“To remedy this, we should strongly consider the establishment of an independent Office of the Registrar of Political Parties charged with regulating party operations, promoting internal democracy, and enforcing party discipline.”
He further suggested that the registrar should have the authority to declare the seat of defectors vacant, noting that such a measure has been effective in countries like Kenya and Malawi.
“This reform would affirm the principle that the electoral mandate belongs to the people and not to individual ambition,” he said.
Jonathan also demanded reforms in the appointment of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, calling for a neutral selection process.
“Credibility of elections rests heavily on the neutrality and competence of the independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“So many questions have continued to be raised on the propriety of the process of appointing the INEC chairman.
“I believe that Nigeria can also improve the process by establishing an independent screening and nomination mechanism comprising representatives from the judiciary, civil society, academia, trade unions, and professional bodies.
“This reform will reduce perceptions of bias, it will promote public trust in INEC, and enhance the legitimacy of its decisions,” Jonathan added.
On post-election disputes, Jonathan warned against situations where elected officials assume office while their victory is still being challenged in court.
“It creates confusion and undermines governance when candidates with unresolved election cases assume office only to be later removed by the courts. This undermines the authority of the office and the credibility of the electoral process,” he said.
He proposed reducing the number of courts handling electoral disputes, especially in governorship and presidential cases, to save cost and hasten judgment delivery.
“Justice delayed in elections is justice denied, not just for the candidates, but for the electorate,” Jonathan stated.
Closing his address, the former president stressed that the reforms were not targeted at any political interest but designed to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy for the future.
“Democracy is not just about casting ballots. It is about building institutions, promoting accountability, and protecting the rights of the citizens.”