Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Africans to hold their leaders accountable by voting them out of office if they fail to deliver on their promises, stressing that credible elections remain the bedrock of democracy.

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 greatest threats to democracy in Africa.

“Democracy in Africa is going through a period of strain and risks collapse unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform it,” 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.”

In a statement by the Foundation’s Communications Officer, Wealth Dickson Ominabo, Jonathan stressed that Africans expect more than periodic elections—they want freedoms, equity, security, and dignity.

“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, security, healthcare, jobs, and dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned,” he noted.

The former president also highlighted the growing participation of young people in politics, describing it as encouraging but insisting that they need the guidance and wisdom of older leaders to succeed.

Mahama, Obasanjo, Others Call for Democratic Reset

Other African leaders at the dialogue echoed Jonathan’s concerns.

Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama warned that democracy would not survive unless Africans actively defended it. “Democracy will not survive if we don’t work for it. We need a reset of democracy and governance to ensure accountability. Our citizens are tired of corruption, misgovernance, and lack of opportunities,” he said.

Mahama emphasized strengthening institutions, protecting the press, and defending civic spaces, noting that “a free press is democracy’s immune system.”

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the event, declared that Africa’s current democratic practice was unsustainable and must be urgently reformed.

The dialogue was attended by prominent policymakers and thought leaders, including the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, and other political figures.

Participants unanimously agreed that democracy in Africa must go beyond periodic elections to embrace accountability, inclusiveness, service, and discipline in governance.