Obasanjo calls for African model of democracy, rejects winner takes all politics
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the model of democracy practised across much of Africa, arguing that Western liberal democracy lacks the African context and content needed to address the continent’s realities.
Obasanjo said the system inherited by many African countries had encouraged a winner-takes-all political culture in which those who win elections often disregard those who lose.
He made the remarks on Tuesday at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, the Bauchi State capital.
“The Western liberal democracy that we inherited pulls from monarchy, hence we can have government and loyal opposition, loyal to the monarchy,” Obasanjo said.
He argued that the concept of loyal opposition did not translate easily into many African societies, where opposition was often viewed as synonymous with hostility.
“So, what do you do with your enemy? You crush him and destroy him and that is what we have,” he said.
Obasanjo likened the adoption of Western democratic structures to wearing clothes that had not been tailored to fit.
“The democracy we practise has no African context, no African content and if you try to use what is not meant for you to serve your purpose, it is like a dress for which you are not measured,” he said.
He criticised the first-past-the-post electoral system, saying it reinforced the idea that victory by a single vote entitled the winner to control everything.
“In practice, we have winner takes all, first past post. If you beat me by one vote then you take it all and whatever I have does not matter,” he said.
The former president also expressed concern over what he described as the poor management of diversity, warning that democracy should not disregard the different identities and interests that make up African societies.
“Nigeria is what it is because of our diversity. Remove diversity out of Nigeria you will probably have Republic of Oduduwa, that will not be Nigeria or Republic of Danfodio, that will not be Nigeria,” he said.
He said Nigeria’s diversity should instead be protected and deliberately nurtured.
Obasanjo also criticised the growing influence of money and inducements in Nigerian politics, saying the trend had increased “by leaps and bounds”.
He acknowledged that widespread poverty and illiteracy posed challenges to democratic development but also condemned the lack of gender balance in Nigerian politics.
He noted that Nigeria had not elected a female governor in more than 24 years of the Fourth Republic, while questioning the character and values of some of the political leaders elected during the period.
“In Nigeria, you call this one fourth republic, we have not elected a female governor in more than 24 years,” he said.
The former president argued that Nigeria needed to develop political and judicial institutions that reflected its own historical and cultural realities rather than simply reproducing foreign models.
He stressed that democracy should be regarded as a continuous process rather than a destination.
Obasanjo said countries from which African nations adopted Western liberal democracy were themselves reconsidering aspects of the system, and argued that African countries should similarly be willing to reassess their democratic arrangements.
“Call it what you like, just make sure it has history, culture and values that are African,” he said.
“You can call it democracy if you like, you can call it African democracy. In that case it will be African with African context and African content.”
The dialogue was chaired by Obasanjo and attended by former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former vice-president Namadi Sambo.
Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed hosted the event, which also attracted constitutional experts and civil society representatives from across Africa.