Goodluck Jonathan, the former President of Nigeria says that the retrogression of democratic ideals in Africa leaves the masses disillusioned and propelled to celebrate military coups.
Therefore, Mr Jonathan, called for the “rejig”(rearrangement) of democracy on Africa.
“Leadership is supposed to work to ensure that democracy is translated to economic well-being, explaining that democracy should be able to encourage development.”
This was said by Mr Jonathan during a ‘Democracy Dialogue 2023’ organized by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Yenagoa.
The first Prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Patrick Lumumba also delivered an address on ‘Making Democracy Work in Africa’.
The former Nigerian President noted thus, “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, and ensuring that we implement policies that will impact positively on the lives of our people,” he said.
Since August 2020, Africa has experienced seven coups. On August 18, 2020, President Ibrahim Keïta was overthrown by the military, with a transitional government formed in October.
Thereafter, September 5, 2021, Guinea witnessed its own coup d’etat. Mali followed suit and experienced two coups in the space of nine months.
On October 25, 2021, Sudan witnessed its own coup d’etat. In Burkina Faso, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was dismissed by the coupists on January 24, 2022.
Niger witnessed a putsch on the 26th of July, 2023 as the military overthrew the government of President Mohammed Bazoum, with General Abdourahamane Tchiani taking over the reins of power.
Seemingly, on the 30th of August, 2023, a coup d’état occurred after the imposed President Ali Bongo was announced to have won the presidential election held on the 26th of August in Gabon.
