Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, on Tuesday criticised Nigeria’s democratic system and institutions, with Obasanjo calling for an African model of democracy and Obi alleging widespread institutional decay.
They spoke at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital.
The dialogue, organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, was themed, “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”
Obasanjo, who chaired the event, said the Western liberal democracy adopted by many African countries had failed to reflect the continent’s history, culture and values.
He described the system as a “winner-takes-all” model that had encouraged political opponents to see one another as enemies rather than partners in governance.
