Leaders who fail must be voted out, says Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that democracy across Africa is at risk of collapse unless leaders and citizens unite to rethink electoral practices and governance. Speaking at a critical dialogue in Accra, Ghana, he called for proper elections that respect the will of the people.

The ex-president, at the 2025 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue, held recently in the Ghanaian capital, shared concerns over the increasing manipulation of polls that undermine democratic values on the continent. He stressed that many African nations face a crisis because those in power often use the electoral process to remain indefinitely, denying citizens genuine representation.

Jonathan described this distortion of democracy as one of the greatest threats facing Africa today. He urged stakeholders, including governments, political parties, and civil society, to come together to overhaul how democracy functions, making it more inclusive and responsive to public needs.

The dialogue also featured prominent figures such as Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, both of whom echoed the call for a fundamental reassessment of democratic governance across Africa. Mahama emphasized the need to protect democratic institutions, uphold accountability, and cultivate civic education to ensure the system truly serves its citizens.

Former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo criticized current practices, saying the continent’s experience with democracy is unsustainable without urgent reforms to guarantee transparency and good governance.

Other participants, including ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, who reinforced the view that democracy must extend beyond elections to embrace principles of service, responsibility, and citizen engagement.

The forum concluded with a unified call for comprehensive democratic renewal focused on fairness, inclusion, and sustainable development.