ABUJA- Tuesday, 13 April 2021: Former President Goodluck Jonathan has lamented that Nigeria is among the top countries with violent elections.

Jonathan said this on Monday during his address to youths and women under the auspices of “TOS Foundation Youth and Women for Good Governance initiative” in Abuja.

The Ex-President stated that “We must regret it that sometimes our elections are too violent in Nigeria. I think in Africa, we are among the top countries with violent elections.

“Even for party primaries, you see people going to break doors, windows, scatter ballot boxes and so on.

Jonathan further disclosed that the judiciary should not be allowed to select those who should occupy political offices in the country.

He said if a candidate who wins an election is found wanting, that election should be annulled and fresh one conducted to determine a clear and unencumbered winner, adding that the ballot papers should be the sole determinant of who should occupy a political office and who should not.

“The issue of the judiciary I don’t want to make a comment…, let me reiterate what I have said somewhere that in Nigeria today, the judiciary selects political leaders.

 “It is not the best. The ballot papers should be the basis of selecting political leaders. If it is the judiciary that will select, we are not yet there.

“It is delicate but I have made a public statement before and I will always make it. I am not saying the judiciary is not doing well, but I mean our laws should suppress the idea of the judiciary in returning a candidate.

“If a candidate that won the election is found wanting, that election should be annulled and a fresh election conducted.

“The ballot paper must decide who holds any office from councillorship to the presidency and that is democracy,” he further stated.

Former President Jonathan however remarked that he tried to increase the number of women in the National Assembly during his administration.

He asserted that Nigeria must develop policies to plan for the future of the youths if the country is to grow and remain great.