- He said if politicians knew that the judiciary won’t compromise or turn logic and law on its head they won’t approach the court
Former President Goodluck Jonathan says the exceedingly litigious nature of the aftermath of elections in Nigeria is engendered by the inability of the judiciary to uphold the rule of law and dispense justice without fear or favour.
Jonathan asserted that some politicians approach the court because they know they might be declared winners of elections they clearly lost.
He made the assertion on Tuesday at the inauguration of the new state high court complex in Asaba, Delta State Capital.
He said if politicians knew that the judiciary won’t compromise or turn logic and law on its head they won’t approach the court.
“My thinking is that 50 percent of those who go to court go to court because they felt they were cheated by the electoral management system; they were rigged out.
“When you feel naturally aggrieved, you have to go to court. So assuming the elections are properly conducted, they know they failed the election, but they feel they can use the judiciary to declare them winners.
“If the judiciary doesn’t declare who doesn’t win the election that they are winners, that many 50 percent will not go to court. In South Africa, the electoral management body will never compromise, they all know. If you lose the election, you just wait for the next election. You don’t need to go to court.
“Because if you go to court, the judiciary too will not compromise. So you will not get anything.”