Jonathan Warns Africa On Danger Of Electoral Manipulation

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Africans to hold leaders accountable by removing those who fail to deliver through the ballot.

Jonathan gave the charge at the 2025 Democracy Dialogue of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Ghana, where he warned that manipulation of elections remains the biggest threat to democracy on the continent. He said democracy risks collapse unless stakeholders work together to reform the system and safeguard credible polls.

He explained that free and fair elections would naturally remove non-performing leaders, but manipulation has allowed some to remain in office against the will of the people. He listed freedom, inclusivity, education, healthcare, jobs, security, and dignity as core expectations of citizens, stressing that unmet needs fuel disillusionment and authoritarian tendencies.

The former president welcomed the growing involvement of young people in governance but advised that their energy must be balanced with the wisdom of older generations to keep democracy stable.

Other leaders at the forum also raised concerns about Africa’s democratic journey. Ghana’s President, John Mahama, said democracy would not survive unless Africans deliberately worked to protect and strengthen it. He called for reforms that would tackle corruption, improve accountability, protect civic freedoms, and guarantee press independence.

Mahama described the media as democracy’s immune system and warned that the collapse of institutions, corruption, and failure of leaders to act with integrity could destroy public trust. He said renewal would only come when citizens rise to defend democratic values.

Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo and other policymakers also joined in the call for a reset of democratic practices across the continent.