Former President Goodluck Jonathan urges Africans to vote out leaders who fail to deliver on promises.
He warns electoral manipulation threatens democracy and calls for reforms to restore public trust.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on African citizens to vote out leaders who fail to deliver on their promises, stressing that credible elections are the only way to achieve this. He warned that electoral manipulation remains one of the continent’s most dangerous threats to democracy.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, Jonathan said Africa’s democratic system is under intense strain and could face collapse without swift reforms. He argued that with genuine elections, poor-performing leaders would be removed from office, but manipulation allows them to stay in power against the will of the people.
He emphasized that citizens across the continent expect freedom, fair representation, and basic services such as education, healthcare, security, and jobs. When these expectations are unmet, he noted, the public becomes frustrated and disillusioned. Jonathan also highlighted that while increased youth participation in politics is positive, the younger generation still needs guidance from experienced leaders to succeed.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, who joined Jonathan and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo at the forum, called for a “democratic reset” to restore accountability and public trust in African governance. He said democracy will falter if leaders fail to serve citizens and if corruption and mismanagement persist. Mahama stressed that robust institutions, development, education, and a free press are essential pillars of democracy, describing the media as democracy’s “immune system.”
Obasanjo, who chaired the session, echoed the need for urgent reforms, warning that democracy in Africa cannot be reduced to holding elections without accountability, discipline, and service.
Other speakers, including ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, agreed that African political systems must deliver peace, inclusivity, and development to ensure the continent’s democratic survival.
