Just In: Ex-President Jonathan Instructs Nigerians on What Action They Should Take in 2027 Election
- Former President Goodluck Jonathan urged Nigerians to vote out underperforming leaders in 2027
- Jonathan and other African leaders at the GJF Democracy Dialogue in Accra called for urgent reforms to protect democracy from collapse across the continent
- Leaders including John Mahama, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Bishop Kukah stress accountability, discipline, and genuine service as pillars for Africa’s democracy
Acra, Ghana - Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Nigerians to elect out of office any leader who gets it wrong in the 2027 poll, should the election be free and fair.
Delivering the 2025 version of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, Jonathan characterised election rigging as one of the greatest dangers confronting democracy on the continent.
Source: Getty Images
He cautioned that if the stakeholders unite to revisit and rethink democracy, it might crumble on the continent.
"When the leaders fail to offer these simple things, people lose faith," Jonathan said.
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Jonathan says democracy in Africa faces risks
Jonathan noted that democracy in Africa is “going through a period of strain” and could risk collapse if reforms are not urgently introduced, Vanguard reported.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our instance, citizens hijack the system to keep themselves in power even when the people do not need them," he emphasized.
He also urged leaders to adopt a democracy that "promises a great future for our children where their voice counts."
Jonathan calls for youths' participation in governance
Jonathan also spoke of the increasing involvement of youths in governance, which he said was heart-warming.
He however insisted that young leaders must be guided by the wisdom and knowledge of the aged if they are to thrive.
Other African leaders cross the aisle to give thumbs up to call for reform
Source: Getty Images
President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, also spoke at the event, alongside former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other leaders.
Mahama warned that democracy would not survive unless Africans actively defended and strengthened it, Daily Trust reported.
“Anybody who wants to serve must be accountable to the people. Our citizens are tired of corruption, misgovernance, and lack of opportunities,” Mahama said.
Obasanjo says Africa's democracy is unstable
Obasanjo, who chaired the event, declared that Africa’s current democratic practice is unsustainable and must be reformed urgently
Other participants, including the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, emphasised that democracy must extend beyond elections to include accountability, discipline, and genuine service to the people.
Wike slams Jonathan's 2027 presidential ambition
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused politicians urging ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 election of wanting to create a crisis in the country.
Wike stated that the same politicians who worked against Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election are now advocating for his return in 2027. He said they want to drag Jonathan into a crisis despite his standing as an international statesman.
Wike said it is dishonest and destabilizing to campaign for Jonathan or any other southern candidate under the guise of a “one-term presidency.”
Source: Legit.ng
