Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system, with particular emphasis on the appointment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman and the rising trend of political defections.
Speaking at the National Action Plan for Electoral Reform Dialogue, organised by the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Jonathan—represented by the Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ann Iyonu—acknowledged progress since the return to democratic rule in 1999 but stressed that persistent flaws continue to undermine credibility.
“Nigeria has made notable progress since our return to democratic rule, but we must acknowledge that our electoral system still faces significant challenges. If we are truly committed to democracy, we must be bold enough to reform the process to better reflect the will of the people and the principles of justice, accountability, and inclusion,” he said.
Jonathan urged a review of the process of appointing the INEC Chairman, recommending an independent panel made up of representatives from the judiciary, civil society, academia, trade unions, and professional bodies.
“Credibility of elections rests heavily on the neutrality and competence of the Independent National Electoral Commission. So many questions have continued to be raised on the propriety of the process of appointing the INEC Chairman. I believe that Nigeria can also improve the process by establishing an independent screening and nomination mechanism. This reform will reduce perceptions of bias, it will promote public trust in INEC, and enhance the legitimacy of its decisions,” Jonathan added.
On political defections, the former president criticised what he described as “cross-cupping,” where elected officials abandon the parties under which they were elected, often without ideological justification.
“Parties are the foundation of any democracy, but in our context they have become vulnerable to opportunism and instability. We have seen a disturbing rise in the practice of cross-cupping — elected officials defecting from the parties under which they were elected… To remedy this, we should strongly consider the establishment of an independent Office of the Registrar of Political Parties charged with regulating party operations, promoting internal democracy, and enforcing party discipline,” he said.
Jonathan explained that such an office should have the authority to declare the seat of defectors vacant, noting that similar systems have worked in Kenya and Malawi. He stressed that the principle remains that “the electoral mandate belongs to the people and not to individual ambition.”
The former president also called for electoral disputes to be resolved before the swearing-in of elected officials, warning that delays undermine governance and public trust.
“It creates confusion and undermines governance when candidates with unresolved election cases assume office only to be later removed by the courts. This undermines the authority of the office and the credibility of the electoral process… Justice delayed in elections is justice denied, not just for the candidates, but for the electorate,” he said.
Jonathan further proposed that the judicial process be streamlined by reducing the number of courts handling electoral cases, particularly for governorship and presidential elections.
In closing, he stressed that electoral reforms should be seen as a national priority, not a partisan demand.
“Democracy is not just about casting ballots. It is about building institutions, promoting accountability, and protecting the citizens. The reforms we are discussing today are not partisan. They are patriotic. They are not meant to benefit any one group, but to strengthen Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Debo Ologunagba, dismissed speculation about Jonathan’s political future, confirming that the former president remains a PDP member. Appearing on Arise TV Morning Show, Ologunagba said the party has “exceedingly qualified individuals” for the 2027 presidential election.
“When you may refer to President Jonathan, President Jonathan is still a member of this party because he has not resigned. And Mr. Obi is a presidential candidate in the last election for another political party. He has not indicated that he’s joining the party. So, for me, it would be improper for me to begin to comment on that. What I can comment on is our capacity, even as we stand, that we have exceedingly qualified individuals,” Ologunagba said.
He praised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as one of the PDP’s “poster boys” for his performance and ability to mobilise Nigerians.
“So, for us, we have, in the party today, very eminently qualified Nigerians and governors who are performing. And Nigerians can recognise that,” he stated.
