EDErstwhile President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has told Nigerian youths to get involved actively in politics as it controls everything all over the globe.
He spoke during a visit to TOS Studios owned by popular broadcast journalist Osasu Igbinedion.
He visited the studio yesterday and was quoted to have said: “Ballot papers should be the basis of selecting political officeholders. If it is the judiciary that should select them then we are not yet there.
“I am not saying the judiciary is not doing well but our laws should suppress the idea of our judiciary returning candidates. The ballots should decide who occupies the councillorship seat up to the presidency; that is democracy.”
He also went further to have said: “The problem we have in Nigeria is the use of money to induce some voters. Compared to other African countries, we spend too much money here. Probably, we need to review our laws because I have observed a number of elections in African countries.
“For instance in Tanzania, a candidate does not need to print his name on matchbox or any items to woo voters. If you do that, they say that you are inducing the electorates. It is against their laws.
“But here if somebody is contesting elections, you buy bags of rice, wrappers, and all manner of items to induce the electorates. Ordinarily, our electoral laws are supposed to frown on such practices.
“If you do that, you are supposed to be disqualified from contesting in the election. So these are the things that make our elections expensive. I think if the young people are willing, things should begin to change.”
ED
