By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan has urged the National Assembly to take steps to end off-season elections in the country.
According to the former Nigerian leader, it is not the best for the country.
Off-season election takes place in states where, by judicial pronouncements their elections don’t align with the nationwide polls to elect new governors.
About seven states where their former governors were removed by the court and fresh polls ordered are in off-season election.
Jonathan says, this is worrisome and National Assembly must take steps to end it, by ensuring that the elections align with nationwide governorship polls.
Jonathan who spoke in his Bayelsa State, South South Nigeria on Saturday shortly after casting his ballot in the off-season governorship election in the state said if things continue this way, a time would come when the presidential election would be in off-season.
According to him, Nigeria narrowly escaped off-season presidential election after the 2007 poll when he ran as running mate to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
This was averted when a majority judgement of the Supreme Court Justices of 4 against 3 affirmed their election.
Bayelsa along with Imo and Kogi are voting in the Saturday’s off-season election.
The ex-governor of Bayelsa State said an off-season presidential poll “almost happened in 2007 when I contested as a running mate with President Umaru Yar’adua” but it was prevented.
He said, “I get worried by the issue of off-season elections. And I use this opportunity to plead with the National Assembly that we need to block these off-season elections. It is very odd; it is not a global best practice.
“If we continue with this trend of off-season elections based on the interpretation of our laws by the judicial officers, it will come to a time when the presidential election will be off-season.
“Look at the American system, everybody knows when the American election will be conducted.”
