Former president of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan believes that rather than relying on the legal system, Nigerians should choose their leaders democratically.
After casting their ballots in the state assembly and gubernatorial races on Saturday, March 18, he made this statement. Patience was by his side.
Addressing journalists after casting his vote in Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa state, Jonathan said;
“I believe that Nigerians have decided that they must select their leaders. Any country that the ballot papers cannot select its leaders, that country is doomed.
“So, we must form a system where the ballot papers must decide who leads us, either at the level of the president, governors, and at the level of parliamentarians; not the courts. The ballot papers should select the leaders.”
Jonathan commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but condemned the burning of electoral items by thugs in four wards under Constituency 2 in the Ogbia LGA.
“In terms of the general security of the elections, it is peaceful here but I am disturbed because, within my local government, I learnt that the state constituency 2, there were crises and materials have been burnt,” he stated.
“The police must make sure they arrest all those involved. If they feel challenged, they should go to the governor and get the military involved.
“All those involved in that act must be arrested and prosecuted and we are all watching. If the police fail to do that, we will feel terribly disappointed. Nobody should mess up our electoral system.
“The country is moving and some criminals cannot push us backwards. The world is watching Nigeria.”
