Jonathan: FG’s arbitration cases must be held in Nigeria not UK

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has faulted the hearing of arbitrations for the contracts entered by the Federal Government with International Organizations in the United Kingdom, saying the cases should be held within Nigeria.

Jonathan said this on Saturday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital during a launch of the book titled, ‘Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in Nigeria’.

The book is written by King Collins Daniel, the Traditional Ruler Abureni kingdom, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

He also charged the bodies responsible for arbitration or resolving disputes in the country to work hard to ensure arbitration for the government contracts are done in the country for proper understanding.

Jonathan stated that resolving disputes outside the courtroom is short, less expensive, and makes people more bound to the terms morally.

He said: “Let me use this unique opportunity to charge the bodies in this country that are responsible for either arbitration or resolving issues to work hard to ensure that arbitrations are done in Nigeria.

“Because all the contracts the Nigerian government entered with international organisations, arbitrations are always done in the United Kingdom. Can’t we do some of these arbitrations in Nigeria?

“I don’t know why it must be the United Kingdom, why it must be outside Nigeria, I think we need to work hard so that some of these things will be done here in Nigeria.

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“As non-lawyers, we look at issues of resolving disputes in two different ways, one that takes place in the courtroom and one that takes place outside the courtroom.

“We think that society is so complex, going to court for judges to settle our disputes solved all our problems because judges decide based on the facts presented to them, that is why people still get back home and start fighting.

“More especially issues like land cases and Chieftaincy cases, so I believe solving disputes outside the courtroom will be a better and shorter way than going through court processes,” the former President stated.

Speaking at the event, the author of the book and Olila-Ebhugh of Abureni kingdom, King Daniel, said he used his experience as a legal practitioner, law teacher, and a traditional ruler to write the book.

Daniel said he wrote the book to help society how to resolve issues properly and permanently.

“Dispute resolution is a key because in every society, there is bound to be dispute and the way the dispute is resolved to the satisfaction of every party brings lasting peace in the society,” he stated.

The Star