Nigeria: Former president Jonathan urges review of electoral litigation process

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a review of Nigeria’s electoral litigation process, suggesting the establishment of a “Constitutional Court” to handle election-related issues in a single phase. He made this call during the 70th birthday and book launch of Sen. Gbenga Daniel (APC-Ogun East) in Abuja.

Jonathan argued that the current three-tier litigation process for governorship elections is ineffective and burdensome. He cited a 2011 case where a gubernatorial candidate lost his seat due to a technicality regarding the color of ink used by voters. He urged Nigeria to adopt the judicial models of Francophone African countries, which utilize specialized Constitutional Courts for political matters.

The former president also emphasized the need for the judiciary to be firm in its decision-making to improve the nation’s politics. He described Sen. Daniel as a “constructive leader” who brought an engineering mindset to politics.