Jonathan has called for the removal of Tinubu and other failed leaders in Nigeria and Africa at large through proper elections.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that leaders who fail to deliver on their promises should be removed through credible elections, warning that electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, Jonathan said democracy on the continent risks collapse unless stakeholders unite to reform governance and strengthen institutions.
Democracy Under Threat
In a statement released on Saturday by the Foundation’s Communications Officer, Wealth Dickson Ominabo, Jonathan stressed that failed leadership thrives when the electoral system is compromised.
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“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out,” Jonathan said. “But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.”
He added that democracy must go beyond just conducting elections, noting that citizens want freedoms, inclusivity, good education, security, jobs, healthcare, and dignity. Failure to provide these, he warned, risks pushing citizens toward authoritarian alternatives.
Call for Youth Participation
Jonathan welcomed the rising involvement of young people in African politics but cautioned that younger leaders must benefit from the wisdom and guidance of older statesmen to succeed in building sustainable democracies.
Mahama, Obasanjo, Others Demand Reset
Other African leaders at the dialogue echoed Jonathan’s concerns. Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama warned that democracy would collapse unless Africans actively worked to protect and renew it.
“Democracy will not survive if we don’t work for it,” Mahama said. “Our citizens are tired of corruption, misgovernance, and lack of opportunities. To renew democracy, we must strengthen institutions, deliver development, protect the media, and ensure accountability.”
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the session, also declared that Africa’s current democratic model is unsustainable and requires urgent reforms.
Broad Consensus for Reform
The event was attended by leading policymakers and thought leaders, including ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese.
Participants unanimously stressed that democracy in Africa must be redefined to prioritize accountability, service, discipline, and inclusiveness not just periodic elections.
