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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has raised concerns over recent court rulings on political cases, warning that these judgments are destabilizing Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking at the 67th birthday celebration of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, in Abuja, Jonathan compared the state of democracy to an “upside-down cone,” which is inherently unstable and risks collapsing.
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Jonathan expressed disappointment in how political influence has begun to affect both lawyers and judges, cautioning that such interference undermines democratic processes.
He noted that in other countries, election litigation is uncommon, but in Nigeria, courts are flooded with pre- and post-election disputes, which he believes is a troubling trend.
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Highlighting a particular judgment that has been troubling him, Jonathan questioned the legality and fairness of a ruling that allows a Ward Chairman to expel a National Chairman of a political party.
Drawing an analogy, he said it would be absurd for a lower-level official to have the authority to dismiss someone at the highest level, such as a department head expelling a university’s vice-chancellor.
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Jonathan called on the Supreme Court to reconsider this ruling, warning that it has led to instability within political parties, particularly the PDP and at one point, the APC.
He urged the judiciary to focus on preserving natural justice and democratic integrity, emphasizing that a stable democracy requires that both legal professionals and judges remain impartial and not influenced by politics.
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