Jonathan Advocates for Constitutional Court on Elections

Former President Goodluck Jonathan proposed the creation of a constitutional court to handle election-related disputes in Nigeria during a book launch celebrating Senator Gbenga Daniel's 70th birthday in Abuja. He urged the National Assembly to review the electoral litigation process, suggesting that a specialized court would alleviate pressure on Nigeria's political judiciary system and streamline the litigation process.

Jonathan criticized the existing three-tier system, which includes the governorship election disputes moving through electoral tribunals, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, describing it as ineffective. He recalled a controversial case from the 2011 elections where he lost a gubernatorial candidacy due to technical issues.

Although the National Assembly amended the law to allow governorship election cases to reach the Supreme Court, Jonathan noted that this reform did not address the lengthy litigation process. He advocated for adopting a judicial model similar to that of the United States and Francophone African countries.

The event was attended by dignitaries, including President Bola Tinubu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.