Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that leaders who fail to keep their promises should be voted out if credible elections are held.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, he warned that election manipulation remains one of the greatest dangers to democracy in Africa. He stressed that without reforms, the system risks collapsing.Jonathan said, “Democracy in Africa 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.“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 added that Africans expect more than just elections. “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.
He also welcomed the increasing involvement of youths in politics but advised that younger leaders must be guided by the wisdom of older generations to succeed.
Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama also addressed the gathering. He warned that democracy would not survive unless Africans actively defended it.
He said, “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.
“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.”
Also speaking, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the event, stated that Africa’s current democratic system was unsustainable and must be urgently reformed.
The event brought together several African policymakers and leaders, including the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Catholic Diocese.
Participants agreed that democracy in Africa must go beyond periodic elections and instead promote accountability, service, discipline, and inclusiveness in governance.