Jonathan charges National Assembly to block off-cycle elections in Nigeria

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday urged the National Assembly (NASS) to stop off-cycle elections in Nigeria.

The ex-president, spoke after he cast his vote during the Bayelsa governorship election at Ward 13, Polling Unit 39 in Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of the state, charged the parliament to harmonise the country election calendar.

Apart from Bayelsa, the governorship election also took place in Imo and Kogi State on Saturday.

READ ALSO: Jonathan advocates violence-free election in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo

He said: “I get worried by the issue of off-season elections. And I use this opportunity to plead with the National Assembly that we need to block these off-season elections. It is very odd; it is not a global best practice.

“If we continue with this trend of off-season elections based on the interpretation of our laws by the judicial officers, it will come to a time when the presidential election will be off-season.

“Look at the American system, everybody knows when the American election will be conducted.”

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