Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said leaders who fail to deliver should be removed at the ballot box if elections are credible, warning that electoral manipulation remains one of the greatest threats to democracy in Africa.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, the former Nigerian leader cautioned that the continent’s democratic system is under severe strain and could collapse if not urgently reformed.
“Democracy in the African continent is going through a period of strain and risks collapse unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa,”
Jonathan said. “If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.”
He added that citizens expect leaders to guarantee their freedoms and provide for their basic needs. “Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned,” he said.
Jonathan also noted that while youth participation in governance is promising, young people need the guidance and wisdom of older generations to succeed in leadership.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, who addressed the gathering alongside Jonathan and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, called for a democratic reset across Africa to restore public trust and accountability. “Democracy will not survive if we don’t work for it. We need a reset of democracy and governance to ensure accountability. Anybody who wants to serve must be accountable to the people. Our citizens are tired of corruption, misgovernance, and lack of opportunities,” Mahama said.
He stressed that democratic renewal requires strong institutions, development, education, and a free press. “A free press is democracy’s immune system. Democracy dies when citizens lose faith, when leaders abandon integrity, and when institutions succumb to capture. But democracy can be renewed when citizens rise to defend it,” he added.
Obasanjo, who chaired the event, echoed similar concerns, warning that the continent’s current democratic model is unsustainable. He said urgent reforms are needed to ensure that democracy is not reduced to periodic elections but also reflects accountability, service, and discipline.
The dialogue also featured the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, and other leaders and policymakers, who all agreed that Africa’s political systems must deliver peace, development, and inclusivity if democracy is to endure.
