Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that leaders who fail to deliver on their mandates should be voted out of office, provided credible elections are held.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, Jonathan warned that electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats to Africa’s democracy, adding that unless stakeholders come together to reform the system, democracy on the continent risks collapse.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Foundation’s Communications Officer, Wealth Dickson Ominabo, Jonathan noted that when democracy fails to meet citizens’ expectations, desperation creates fertile ground for authoritarianism.
“Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came 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.”
The former President stressed that Africans want more than the formality of elections, they want accountability, equity, and good governance.
“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 hailed the growing participation of young people in politics but noted that youth in governance must draw from the wisdom and experience of older generations to succeed.
The dialogue, which drew leaders and policymakers from across Africa, also featured Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
President Mahama warned that democracy would not endure unless Africans actively worked to protect it.
“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,” he said.
“To renew democracy, we must strengthen institutions, deliver development, and educate our citizens. We must protect the media and civic space. 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.”
Chairman of the event, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, echoed the call for reforms, insisting that Africa’s current democratic practice is unsustainable and requires urgent change.
Also present were the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Catholic Diocese; and other leaders who underscored that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to embody accountability, service, and discipline.
