By Emma Emeozor
Former president Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, described the ongoing party primaries as a failed process.
The former president, who came hard on political aspirants and lawmakers, spoke at the launch of a book entitled: ‘Political Party Governance,’ written by former minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakili.
He also berated those calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended Electoral Act for ignorant of due process in the office of the president. Jonathan went further to take a swipe at lawmakers, saying the laws being made by the current lawmakers appear to target individuals, rather than work for the good of the country.
According to him, political parties must be allowed to adopt their own process of selecting and electing their candidates.
Expressing his stance on the ongoing party primaries, Jonathan said: “These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. This is not a standard practice. The process has failed.”
He frowned at the inducement of delegates by aspirants. According to him, it was disgraceful to induce delegates to get their votes and then request for refund after failing to secure tickets.
Adam Namadi, son of former vice president, Namadi Sambo, had demanded a refund from delegates he accused of not voting for him after collecting money from him.
He secured just two votes at the Peoples Democratic Party primaries in Kaduna North federal constitution of the House of Representatives.
Sambo was Jonathan’s deputy and former governor of Kaduna State from 2007 to 2010.
Jonathan expressed the hope that a repeat of the 2022 primaries will not happen again in the political history of the country.
“We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, senators and House of Representatives members and others.
“The process is already failed, which is not good for the country. But we will manage and move on. We pray that good people should come. I hope what happened this year, 2022, will not happen again in this country,” he said.
As a measure to halt the trend, Jonathan urged the National Assembly to make laws to criminalise inducement of delegates and electorate. He also wants the National Assembly to remove from the Electoral Act, the sections on how political parties should select candidates for elections.
Jonathan said: “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.