Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed deep concern over recent court rulings, which he believes are destabilizing Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking on Thursday at the 67th birthday celebration of legal luminary Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in Abuja, Jonathan criticized specific judgements, particularly those related to political cases, that he claims have shaken the country’s democratic principles.
One ruling that particularly troubled the former president was the Supreme Court’s decision allowing a ward chairman of a political party to suspend the party’s National Chairman.
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Jonathan likened the ruling to turning democracy “upside down,” describing it as dangerous for the country’s political stability. He warned that such decisions could lead to chaos in the political system.
“When a cone is turned upside down, it cannot stand because any little thing that touches it will fall,” Jonathan stated, underscoring the fragility such decisions could impose on the nation’s democracy.
Jonathan argued that allowing a lower-ranking official, such as a ward chairman, to suspend a party’s national leader is a violation of the principle of natural justice, noting that it is akin to a department head expelling a university vice-chancellor.
He pointed out the instability such rulings have caused, referencing the crises in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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“I am therefore pleading with the Supreme Court to review that judgement because it has turned the cone upside down,” Jonathan urged.
The former president’s remarks came after he was invited to the podium by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who co-chaired the event.
Although Obasanjo had been originally designated as chairman, he shared the role with Jonathan, extolling the virtues of Prof. Ozekhome, whom he described as an advocate for “complete positive change with conviction, courage, and integrity.”
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While Jonathan voiced his concerns about the judiciary, Obasanjo subtly alluded to more issues that, according to him, would be discussed at a later time.
The event, which celebrated Ozekhome’s achievements, also brought attention to the broader debate on the impact of recent judicial rulings on Nigeria’s democratic process.
Jonathan’s call for the Supreme Court to reassess its stance highlights ongoing concerns about the judiciary’s role in shaping the political landscape in the country.