Former President Goodluck Jonathan Emphasizes Judicial Integrity and Electoral Fairness
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has emphasized the importance of judicial integrity, asserting that politicians will cease approaching courts if they know judges won’t declare losers as winners after elections,Daily Trust reports.
Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of Delta State’s new high court complex in Asaba, where he also flagged off the presentation of 20 Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges, Jonathan highlighted that fair elections would drastically reduce the number of court cases. He noted that a significant portion of politicians seek litigation due to perceived electoral injustices, estimating that about 50 percent of court cases arise from feelings of being cheated by the electoral system.
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“My thinking is that 50 percent of those who go to court do so because they felt cheated by the electoral management system; they were rigged out,” Jonathan said. “When you feel naturally aggrieved, you have to go to court. Assuming the elections are properly conducted and they know they lost, but they feel they can use the judiciary to declare them winners. If the judiciary refuses to declare losers as winners, that 50 percent will not go to court.”
Jonathan pointed to South Africa as an example, where the electoral management body and judiciary are known for their integrity. “In South Africa, the electoral management body will never compromise. If you lose the election, you wait for the next one. You don’t need to go to court because the judiciary will not compromise, so you won’t gain anything.”
He also commended the Delta State government for improving the working conditions of judicial officers and praised Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his focus on infrastructural development and commitment to completing projects initiated by previous administrations.
Jonathan remarked that the high court project, started in 1991, demonstrates the government’s dedication to continuity and development. “There are some projects fundamental to the state’s growth and development. We expect successors to continue them, and you are doing exactly that,” he said.
“The chief judge and you mentioned that this project started in 1991, and you have completed it. When you were the speaker, you returned N500 million unspent, a gesture more significant than a PhD certificate. It shows your high level of integrity and trustworthiness. Continue to manage the state’s resources well and use the funds to benefit the people.”
Governor Oborevwori, in his remarks, reiterated his commitment to completing inherited projects and noted that the presentation of the 20 Toyota Prado SUVs to judges fulfilled a promise. He thanked the former president for inaugurating the project, praising him as a great Nigerian patriot, statesman, and unique leader, both in and out of office.
