At the event marking the distribution of 20 Toyota Prado SUVs to judges in the state, and the inauguration of the new Delta State High Court in Asaba, important remarks were made by the former President Goodluck Jonathan. Speaking on Tuesday, June 4, he highlighted the major impact of conducting fair elections on reducing the number of legal disputes.
Jonathan’s thesis is that fair elections could significantly ease the flood of litigation. He highlighted the fact that many politicians file lawsuits over alleged electoral injustices and estimated that nearly 50 percent of these cases stem from feelings of cheating in the electoral process.
The former President said: “My opinion is that 50 percent of those who go to court do so because they believe they have been wronged by the electoral management system; that they were faked. When you naturally feel wronged, you must turn to justice. So, if the elections are conducted correctly, even if they lose, they will know that they have failed but will not need to resort to justice to proclaim themselves the winner.”
He also highlighted the situation in South Africa, where the election management body never compromises, and where the losers of an election simply wait for the next vote without contesting the results.
This perspective from Goodluck Jonathan raises pertinent questions about the integrity of electoral processes and the importance of citizen confidence in the results. By promoting free and fair elections, the dissatisfaction that often leads to lawsuits could be significantly reduced, thereby strengthening democracy and the rule of law.
Ultimately, recognition and acceptance of electoral results by all stakeholders is essential to ease political tensions and foster harmonious governance. Transparency, fairness and accountability in the electoral process are fundamental pillars to ensure democratic stability and avoid unnecessary litigation that undermines citizens’ trust in their institutions.