Former President Goodluck Jonathan says the current spate where civil governments are being overthrown across Africa has shown that democracy needs to be ”rejigged” and put in a proper direction in the continent.
Jonathan said this at the 2023 Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Thursday, September 28.
The former president stated that in recent years, democracy in Africa has caused serious crisis, including the challenges of poverty and unemployment, which he said has created a crisis of trust in the hearts of the citizens.
He said: “Leadership is supposed to work to ensure that democracy is translated to economic well-being, explaining that democracy should be able to encourage development.
“Recently, we have experienced jubilations heralding the overthrown of civilian administrations in Africa, people jubilating military overthrowing civil administrations, such victory songs will not last long, but it shows that Africa needs to rejig her democracy.
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“In recent years, democracy in the continent has caused serious crisis, the challenges of poverty and unemployment have created a crisis of trust in the hearts of our citizens.
“As leaders, we have the responsibilities to ensure that democracy endures by adhering to the the rules of law, respecting the rights of the people, strengthening public institutions, ensuring that we implement policies that will impact positively on the lives of our people.”
Jonathan added that the annual democracy dialogue is an initiative of the GJF which brings together stakeholders across Africa to critically examine the issue of democracy, interrogate the practice in Africa, and make suggestions where necessary.
“That is why we selected people from across Africa that have experience on such issues; the dialogue does not target any nation, the focus is to mobilise effective communication to remind and set agenda for the political development of the continent,” the former Nigerian leader stated.
Others at the event were Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri; the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse, who was the royal father of the day during the dialogue; and the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Prof Patrick Lumumba; among others.
Africa has experienced seven coups since August 2020.
In Niger Republic, the military, on July 26, 2023, announced that it had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum as General Abdourahamane Tiani became the new leader of the country.
A coup d’état also occurred in Gabon on August 30 shortly after the announcement that incumbent President Ali Bongo had won the general election held on August 26.
In Burkina Faso, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was ousted from power by the military on January 24, 2022, while coups also occurred in Sudan on October 25, 2021; Guinea on September 5, 2021; and Mali with two coups in nine months.
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