Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said that many politicians would avoid going to court if the judiciary handled election disputes fairly.

Speaking in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, during the inauguration of the new state high court complex, Jonathan expressed his view that approximately 50% of those who resort to legal action do so because they feel cheated by the electoral management system.

“My thinking is that 50 percent of those who go to court do so because they felt they were cheated by the electoral management system; they were rigged out,” Jonathan said.

“When you feel naturally aggrieved, you then go to court. So assuming the elections are properly conducted, they know they failed the election, but they feel they can use the judiciary to declare them winners.

“If the judiciary doesn’t declare who doesn’t win the election as winner, that many 50 per cent will not go to court.

“In South Africa, the electoral management body will never compromise - they all know. If you lose the election, you just wait for the next election. You don’t need to go to court.

“Because if you go to court, the judiciary too will not compromise. So you will not get anything.”

Jonathan also praised the Delta State government’s efforts to improve the working environment for judicial officers.

He commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for focusing on infrastructural development and completing projects initiated by previous administrations.

The Guardian