Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has questioned the growing role of the judiciary in determining election outcomes in Nigeria, asking whether democracy is being served when the votes of millions of citizens can ultimately be overturned or decided by a few judges.


Obasanjo spoke on Tuesday while serving as chairman of the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue held at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre in Bauchi.

The dialogue, which focused on the theme, “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and Judiciary Save African Democracy?”, attracted political leaders, former government officials, scholars and democracy advocates from Nigeria and other African countries.

The former president raised concerns about situations where millions of Nigerians participate in elections but the final outcome is later determined through court proceedings involving a small number of judges.

“If millions of people have voted and five people would form a decision either in favour or against the decision of millions of people, is that democracy?” he queried.

Obasanjo also questioned the level of independence of the judiciary, asking whether judges are able to operate freely or whether government influence could affect their decisions.

He said the issue raised wider questions about the health of democracy in Nigeria and across Africa, arguing that democracy should not be judged only by the conduct of elections but also by whether it improves the lives of citizens.

According to him, a functional democratic system should provide welfare and better living conditions while promoting inclusion, equality and a sense of belonging among citizens.

He added that democracy should protect lives and property while addressing marginalisation and discrimination.

“Democracy that works must deliver the dividends of democracy,” Obasanjo said.

The former president also questioned the ability of political parties to strengthen and sustain democratic governance in the country.

He asked whether political parties were fulfilling their responsibilities and delivering the expected benefits of democracy to citizens.

“Can the political parties deliver, or are they delivering? These are the questions the dialogue needs to answer,” he said.