Nigeria’s politicians won’t go to court if judiciary is fair and upright — Goodluck Jonathan

The former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has stated that Nigeria’s politicians only approach courts for justice after losing elections because the judiciary is not fair and upright in tackling election disputes.

Jonathan made this statement on Tuesday in Asaba, Delta state at the inauguration of the state’s new High Court Complex.

“My thinking is that 50 per cent 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 per cent 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,” he said.