Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken out against the recent trend of coups in which democratic administrations in several African countries have been deposed.
According to him, the joy that accompanied the military coups will not endure long, but it demonstrates the need for African countries to restructure their democracies.
Leaders, in his opinion, must ensure that democracy leads to people’s growth.
Speaking at a Democracy Dialogue 2023 event in Yenagoa organized by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) with the theme “Breaking New Grounds In The Democracy Development Nexus in Africa,” the former Nigerian leader lamented that democracy has caused a serious crisis in some countries in recent years.
He went on to say that for democracy to endure, leaders must battle poverty and unemployment, uphold the rule of law, improve public institutions, and protect people’s rights.
In his words, ”Leadership is supposed to work to ensure that democracy is translated to economic well-being.”
He added that, “Recently, we have experienced jubilations heralding the overthrow 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.
“In recent years, democracy in the continent has caused a 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 responsibility to ensure that democracy endures by adhering to 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.”
