Jonathan Urges National Assembly, Remove Section 8 From Electoral Act

Former President Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, charged lawmakers to expunge Section 84 from the Electoral Act, warning that it was wrong to lump political parties with different ideologies together.

This was as he urged the National Assembly to make a legislation that would criminalise the inducement of party delegates and electorate.

Jonathan made the remarks at the book launch of a former Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil.

Titled “Political Party Governance,” Wakil’s launch, which attracted several dignitaries and politicians, took place in Abuja.

The former president expressed concerns that the contentious Section 84 of the Electoral Act did not consider political parties have different processes to select candidates for elections.

He noted that laws must be designed in such a way that it would solve problems, not to create more.

“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.