Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed deep concern over recent Supreme Court judgments regarding political cases in Nigeria, particularly the ruling that allows a ward chairman of a political party to suspend the national chairman. Speaking at the 67th birthday celebration of legal luminary Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in Abuja, Jonathan highlighted the potential destabilizing effects of such decisions on the country’s democracy.
Jonathan likened the democratic structure to an upside-down cone, stating, “When a cone is turned upside down, it cannot stand because any little thing that touches it will fall.” He emphasized that the judgment undermines the principle of natural justice, questioning the rationale behind empowering ward chairmen to discipline national leaders. “You cannot tell me that the head of a department can expel the vice chancellor,” he remarked.
He pointed out that the ruling has contributed to instability within political parties, citing the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and similar issues faced by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the past. Jonathan urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its judgment, asserting that it has turned the democratic framework on its head.
His comments came after he was brought to the podium by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who also praised Prof. Ozekhome for his contributions to the legal profession, describing him as both “an extraordinary man” and “a radical.” Obasanjo, originally designated as the chairman of the occasion, invited Jonathan to co-chair the event with him, highlighting a spirit of unity among Nigeria’s past leaders.