Former President Goodluck Jonathan has identified electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats facing democracy in the African continent.
The former president said unless stakeholders synergise to rescue the situation by reforming the system, democracy may collapse in the region.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, the ex-President charged political leaders to commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the younger generation where their voices matter.
There are reports that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is considering fielding Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 poll.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Jonathan legally took over as Nigeria’s President in 2010, following the demise of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. He contested the 2011 presidential poll on the PDP’s platform and gained victory.
He, however, lost the 2015 presidential election to candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) who died in July this year.
While there are legal debates on Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidency, a former governor of Jigawa State and one of the founding fathers of the PDP, Sule Lamido, recently described him as PDP’s best bet for the election.
Lamido also urged the party’s national leadership to make concerted efforts to field him for 2027.
Daily Trust reports that there have been calls for electoral reforms in the country to nip in the bud issues of rigging and manipulation of results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Jonathan said, “Democracy in the African continent 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.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.”
The former president further 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.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
“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, access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
Obasanjo denies wanting 3rd term
In his remarks, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said he never initiated moves to remain in power after his two terms of office from 1999 to 2007, dismissing all claims about his third-term ambition.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third-term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” he said.
Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third-term ambition.
He also cautioned leaders against overstaying in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”