Judgments on Election Matters Turning Nigeria’s Democracy Upside Down – Jonathan.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has voiced concern over recent court rulings on political cases, stating that the trend is undermining Nigeria’s democracy. Speaking at the 67th birthday celebration of Professor Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in Abuja, Jonathan criticised some judgments on election matters, describing the state of democracy as “a cone being turned upside down.
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Jonathan lamented the growing influence of politics in the judiciary and warned that such developments threaten the stability of Nigeria’s democracy.
“The way things are going in this country, especially with the judgments on political cases, democracy is beginning to look like a cone turned upside down,” he said. “And if a cone is inverted, it can’t be stable; even the slightest disturbance will make it fall.”
Jonathan also referenced comments by senior lawyer Olisa Agbakoba, noting his dismay over some of the Supreme Court’s decisions, which he believes reflect a troubling direction for the country.
He emphasised that democracy can only thrive if both lawyers and judges resist political influence:
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“If our democracy will endure, the Bar and the Bench must not be swayed by politics. Stability in the political process depends on this.”
The former president pointed out that the litigious nature of Nigeria’s electoral system is unique, saying, “While in other countries elections are rarely challenged in court, here in Nigeria, pre-election and post-election cases overwhelm the judiciary. This is not a good sign for democracy.”
He also compared Nigeria’s electoral system with other African and international systems, expressing concern about the impact of the judiciary’s decisions on political stability.
A Haunting Judgment
Jonathan further referenced a specific court ruling that he described as deeply unsettling:
“There’s one judgment that has haunted me. As a layman, I see it as something that turns democracy upside down. If this ruling is not reconsidered, it will cause instability in the political system, affecting us all.”
He criticised a judgment that allowed a ward chairman to suspend a national chairman of a political party, calling it contrary to natural justice. “How can a ward chairman have the power to expel a national officer? That is not how systems work. It’s like saying a Head of Department can expel a Vice-Chancellor.”
Jonathan noted that the controversial ruling had fuelled crises in political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Since the judgment was made, the PDP has been in turmoil, and at some point, even the APC faced a similar crisis,” he observed.
He urged the Supreme Court to revisit the ruling to prevent further political instability, arguing that a stable political process is essential for democracy to thrive.
I appeal to the Supreme Court to re-examine that judgment. It has disrupted the political process, and democracy is now wobbling,” Jonathan warned.
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