Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has described the recent elections held in Kogi and Bayelsa States as heart rendering and fell short of what should be obtained in a country that practices democracy.
Jonathan stated that the incident in Kogi State where a woman was burnt alive in her house was something that ought not to have happened in any normal society.
Mrs Acheju Abuh, the Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Kogi was burnt alive in her home by suspected thugs after the election.
She was also the Women Leader for the campaign organisation of the PDP governorship candidate, Musa Wada, in the just-concluded governorship election in the state.
The former president who spoke at Okada, headquarters of Ovia North East local government where he was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) by the Igbinedion University, said something was fundamentally wrong with Nigeria’s political system.
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He stated that African politicians were now replacing military coup with political coup d’ e`tat adding that such could not sustain the continent and pleaded with politicians to play politics by its rules for the overall interest of Nigerians.
He said, “Only yesterday in Ndjame, we were discussing the politics of our continent. The way African politics is going we are replacing military coup with political coup de’tat and that cannot sustain the continent.
“Let me plead with my fellow politicians, they should stop killing people, destroying properties because people want to own offices.”
Jonathan called for an improved educational standard for the socio-economic development of the nation.
He appealed to Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, founder of the institution, to resuscitate the moribund Okada Airline to add to the nation’s aviation sector.
Chief Igbinedion, who is also Chancellor of the institution, said over 1000 doctors have been inducted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) since he founded the school 20 years ago.
He pleaded with the MDCN to increase the admission quota to the institution to be able to meet up with the health demands of the citizenry of the country.
Others conferred with honourary degrees were Oba Eleguishi, Oba Saheed Ademola Eleguishi (Kusenla III), Mr Sow Bertin Agba, and Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde.
Credit: The Nation
