Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the Federal Government and stakeholders to embark on urgent reforms of Nigeria’s electoral system, with particular focus on the process of appointing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman and curbing the rising tide of political defections.
Naija News reports that Jonathan made the call on Wednesday 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 former President acknowledged progress since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, but stated that the country’s electoral system continues to face fundamental challenges.
He said, “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.”
Jonathan called for a review of the process by which the INEC Chairman is appointed, proposing that an independent panel comprising representatives from the judiciary, civil society, academia, trade unions, and professional bodies should handle the screening and nomination.
He further stated, “Credibility of elections rests heavily on the neutrality and competence of the Independent National Electoral Commission. 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. This reform will reduce perceptions of bias, it will promote public trust in INEC, and enhance the legitimacy of its decisions.”
Cross-Cupping Weakens Democracy – Jonathan
On political defections, Jonathan criticised what he described as the disturbing rise of “cross-cupping,” where elected officials abandon the parties under which they were elected without ideological justification.
He said, “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… 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 explained that such an office should have the power to declare the seat of any defector vacant, citing examples from Kenya and Malawi where similar measures had strengthened democratic accountability.
The former President also emphasised the need for the timely resolution of post-election disputes, warning that governance is undermined when leaders with unresolved cases are sworn into office.
Jonathan stated, “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… Justice delayed in elections is justice denied, not just for the candidates, but for the electorate.”
He suggested streamlining the judicial process by reducing the number of courts handling electoral petitions, especially for governorship and presidential elections.
In his closing remarks, Jonathan stressed that electoral reforms were necessary to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.
The ex-President said, “Democracy is not just about casting ballots. It is about building institutions, promoting accountability, and protecting the citizens. The reforms we are discussing today are not partisan. They are patriotic. They are not meant to benefit any one group, but to strengthen Nigeria.”
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