Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the National Assembly to take appropriate legislative measures to stop off-cycle elections in Nigeria, warning that a time may come when the country’s presidential poll will be held off-season.

Mr Jonathan said after casting his vote in the ongoing governorship election in Bayelsa that it was important for Nigeria to unify its electoral calendar.

Mr Jonathan voted at polling unit 39 in Otazi Ward 13, Ogbia LGA.

He told journalists at his Otuoke country home that the parliament should block the off-season election because it was neither the best for the country nor a globally acceptable practice. 

“Basically, this is an off-season election. I get worried about off-season elections and will use this opportunity to plead with the National Assembly to block it. This is not the best practice. The country can elect their people at the same time like the Americans that elect everybody at the same time,” the former president explained.

He added, “If we continue with this, there will be a time the Nigerian presidential election will be off-season, and Nigerians will be worried. When I say the Nigeria presidential election may be off-season, they may say how and why, but it almost happened in 2007 when I was the running mate to the late Umaru Musa Yaradua.

“In that election, seven justices presided over the case, and three of them said the process be annulled while four of them sustained it. If one had crossed over by now the Nigerian election would have been off-season.” 

(NAN)