Two former presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, alongside former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate Peter Obi, have raised fresh concerns over the state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning of institutional decline and calling for urgent reforms to safeguard the country’s democratic future.

The trio spoke at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, where political leaders, constitutional experts and civil society representatives examined challenges confronting democracy in Nigeria and across Africa.

Their interventions focused on different aspects of the democratic system but converged on concerns over electoral credibility, excessive post-election litigation, weakening institutions, political exclusion and a winner-takes-all political culture.

Obasanjo, who chaired the dialogue, questioned the suitability of the Western liberal democratic model adopted by many African countries, arguing that it had failed to adequately reflect the continent’s historical, cultural and political realities.

“The democracy we practice has no African context, no African content,” he said.

He criticised the winner-takes-all system, saying political opponents were often treated as enemies rather than legitimate participants in governance.

Obasanjo also questioned the first-past-the-post electoral system, arguing that winning by a narrow margin could give a candidate almost total control of political power.

He called for a broader rethink of democratic governance in Africa, insisting that political systems should reflect the continent’s history, culture and values.

The former president also warned against allowing Nigeria’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity to become a source of division, saying the country’s diversity must be deliberately protected and managed.

“Nigeria is what it is because of our diversity,” he said.

Obasanjo further criticised the influence of money and inducements in politics and lamented the limited representation of women in political leadership since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

Jonathan, however, focused on Nigeria’s growing dependence on the judiciary to resolve electoral and political disputes.

He described the country’s level of post-election litigation as unusual compared with other African countries, saying politicians now appear to factor court battles into their electoral calculations.

“The Nigerian situation is extremely different from most other African countries. The kind of election litigation we experience here is uncommon,” Jonathan said.

While acknowledging the importance of an independent judiciary, the former president expressed concern over declining public confidence in some political judgments.

He particularly criticised judicial intervention in internal party affairs, including disputes over party primaries.

“Courts now determine who becomes a party’s candidate and, in some cases, which political party should be recognised,” he said.

Jonathan argued that political parties should retain primary responsibility for selecting their candidates, while courts should intervene where there are clear breaches of the law.

He also suggested that in some highly controversial cases, returning electoral disputes to voters could be preferable to prolonged litigation.

“In some highly controversial cases, it is better for the election to go back to the people,” he said.

Obi, in his intervention, warned that the weakening of Nigeria’s electoral and judicial institutions could have serious consequences for future generations.

Recalling his experience of challenging the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, Obi said the judiciary had previously demonstrated sufficient independence to give citizens confidence that justice could prevail irrespective of political interests.

He said he spent three years challenging his presidential election result and obtained favourable judgments from judges he said he had never met.

However, Obi expressed concern that institutions established to protect democracy were increasingly being weakened by political interests.

He raised questions over alleged electoral malpractice, changes to electoral laws, religious leaders openly supporting politicians accused of wrongdoing and judicial decisions that, in his view, raised concerns about institutional independence.

“Where is our nation going?” Obi asked.

He warned that continued deterioration of democratic institutions would create a burden for future generations.

“We need to reverse this, because the abuse we are allowing today will take its revenge on our children,” he said.

The interventions came amid continuing concerns over electoral credibility, political accountability, institutional independence and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Taken together, the speakers’ warnings went beyond electoral reform, raising fundamental questions about how political competition is conducted, how opposition parties are treated, how elections are won and contested, how disputes are resolved and how democratic institutions can be protected from political interference.

Jonathan stressed that democracy functions as an ecosystem involving political parties, electoral bodies, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society, the media, election observers and voters.

The speakers therefore called for a broader reform agenda to restore confidence in democratic institutions and ensure that political power is determined by credible elections rather than money, institutional manipulation or prolonged courtroom battles.

The dialogue was attended by former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, constitutional experts and civil society representatives from across Africa.