Jonathan: African Democracy Must Go Beyond Elections

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said African democracy must go beyond the conduct of periodic elections, stressing the need to strengthen political parties, courts and other democratic institutions.

Jonathan made the remarks at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi State, where he led a delegation of the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking on the theme, “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and Courts Save African Democracy?”, Jonathan said, “Democracy is much more than conducting periodic elections.”

He stressed that political parties must be internally democratic and committed to the people, while the judiciary must remain independent and courageous in upholding justice, the Constitution and the rule of law.

According to him, political parties have a responsibility to promote accountability and provide credible leadership, while courts must remain trusted guardians of democratic principles and citizens’ rights.

Jonathan said, “Safeguarding democracy is a shared responsibility. It requires political leaders, the judiciary, civil society, citizens, and institutions to play their respective roles with integrity, courage, and a genuine commitment to the common good.”

He added that the future of African democracy would depend not only on how elections are conducted but also on what political leaders and institutions do between elections to strengthen democratic values.