Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for an end to off-season elections in Nigeria.
Some states have off-season governorship elections in Nigeria including Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi where elections are being held today (Saturday).
Jonathan said this while addressing journalists after casting his vote in Saturday’s governorship election in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
According to him, with the trend of off-season elections, there may come a time when the presidential election will also be held off-season.
He said, “First, let me congratulate the three states that have elections today – Bayelsa State, Imo State, and Kogi State, in which I wish all the states successful elections and peaceful conduct of elections.”
Continuing, the former President said, “ I get worried about the issue of offseason elections, I will use this unique opportunity to plead with the National Assembly that we need to block this office in elections. It’s very odd. It’s not global best practice. A country can elect its people at different times, like America and some countries, but not everybody at the same time. But anytime they go to an election, they elect everybody.
“If we continue with this trend of off-season elections based on the interpretation of our laws by the judicial officer, in that case, we’ll come to a time when the presidential election in Nigeria may be off-season.”
Referring to the United States of America, Jonathan said that “everybody knows when the American elections will be held, and that’s become standard practice.”
Jonathan said the presidential election was almost annulled in 2007, which would have forced the poll to also be held off-season.
He said, “Now we have seven states that are off-season. We need to stop there.
“And where possible, these seven states can be migrated back and fall in line with the other states, and the National Assembly can do that.
“That is my message for the National Assembly, my message for Nigerians.”
SAHARA REPORTERS
