“The ballot papers should select the leaders” – Goodluck Jonathan says, encourages democracy

Ex-Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigerians are supposed to choose their leader through a democratic process and not by the judicial system. He came out live on this after casting his vote in the governorship and state assembly election on Saturday, March 18.

He and his wife, Patience, voted in Otuoke, in the Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State.

Goodluck Jonathan casting his vote

Jonathan commended the INEC, but still condemned the outrage by political thugs in four wards under Constituency 2 in the Ogbia LGA and their destroying electoral materials. He said before newsmen:

“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.

“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.”

Jonathan continued: “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.”