Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the model of democracy practised across much of Africa, saying it lacks African context and content and has created a winner-takes-all approach to politics.
Obasanjo stated this on Tuesday at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, Bauchi State.
The former president said the Western liberal democracy inherited by many African countries was not designed around the continent’s realities, likening its adoption to wearing a dress that was not made to fit.
According to him, the system has created a political culture where election winners often disregard those who lose, particularly under the first-past-the-post system.
Obasanjo argued that political opposition in many African settings is often viewed as hostility rather than as a legitimate part of democratic governance, making it difficult for elected governments and opposition parties to work together.
He said the situation has contributed to a political environment where winning an election by even a single vote can give the winner control of virtually everything, while those on the losing side are left with little influence.
The former Nigerian leader also called for greater attention to Africa’s diversity in the design and practice of democracy, stressing that democratic systems should reflect the realities and needs of African societies.
Obasanjo said Nigeria and other African countries should be willing to reassess the democratic structures they inherited and develop approaches that better accommodate their unique social and political circumstances.
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