Former Vice-President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, delivered a powerful address at Nigeria’s National Conference on Strengthening Democracy, highlighting seven critical threats to democracy in Africa.
Speaking under the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity,” Dr. Bawumia identified weak institutions, partisan appointments, the bastardization of democratic bodies, disguised dictatorships, power-hungry leaders, economic hardships, and youth disengagement as core issues undermining democratic progress.
In his speech, he called for robust reforms and collective efforts to address these challenges, emphasizing that democracy must deliver for the people to remain relevant and sustainable. Below are the detailed points he outlined during the conference.
Weak institutions
Dr. Bawumia underscored the significance of strong institutions as the bedrock of democracy.
He noted that entities like independent electoral commissions, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and ombudsmen must be empowered to guarantee rights, enforce laws, and check abuses of power.
Citing leading economists, he argued that institutional quality surpasses geography in determining economic growth and societal development.
However, he lamented that in many African democracies, these institutions are deteriorating, undermining the democratic fabric they are meant to uphold.
Partisanship, nepotism, and self-interests
The former Vice-President criticized the tendency to prioritize partisan, ethnic, or personal interests over competence when appointing individuals to key democratic institutions.
He described this practice as a pathway to cronyism and misgovernance, which weakens democratic structures and creates avenues for autocratic tendencies.
“When appointments are based on loyalty rather than ability, institutions become mere tools for advancing personal agendas,” he warned.
Bastardization of institutions
Dr. Bawumia highlighted the growing trend of undermining democratic institutions by influential individuals.
He noted that some actors deliberately discredit independent and accountability bodies, particularly when decisions made by these institutions do not align with their personal or political interests.
“This is a dangerous practice that erodes public confidence and compromises the integrity of these bodies,” he said, calling for greater respect for institutional mandates.
Dictatorship disguised as democracy
In his speech, Dr. Bawumia expressed concern about the phenomenon of “hollowed-out” democracies where democratic structures exist in form but not in substance.
He described how certain leaders capture and control state institutions to suppress opposition, manipulate elections, and stifle dissent, creating a facade of democracy while entrenching autocracy.
“The form is democratic, but the substance is an obdurate dictatorship,” he observed.
Power-drunk leaders
Dr. Bawumia took a firm stance against politicians who seek power at all costs, often threatening violence to achieve their goals.
Such leaders, he argued, prioritize personal ambitions over public service, posing significant risks to democratic stability.
“Any leader threatening fire and brimstone while seeking power is not aiming to serve but to dominate,” he declared.
