Jonathan condemns monetary inducement for delegates at primaries 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, condemned monetary inducement for delegates at the ongoing primaries of political parties to produce candidates for the 2023 elections.

Speaking at the launch of a book titled ‘Political Party Governance’ authored by Dr. Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of State, Power, Jonathan said it was a shame that delegates were being induced for votes to the extent that aspirants even request for refund after failing to secure tickets.

He said: “These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. This is not a standard practice. The process has failed. We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, senators and House of Representatives members and others.

“The process is already failed, which is not good for the country. But we will manage and move on. We pray that good people should come. I hope that what happened this year will not happen again in this country.”

He charged the National Assembly to make laws to criminalise inducement of delegates and electorate.

Jonathan said: “The National Assembly can’t make laws and lock all political parties together. Parties have different ways of nominating candidates and the process is enshrined in their constitutions.

“Creating a situation where all parties must have the same way of selecting candidates is nonsense. Parties are not parastatals of government. The National Assembly can’t make laws to strangulate political parties. Section 84 should be expunged from the Electoral Act.”