A 2027 presidential hopeful, Dr Gbenga OlawepoHashim, has warned that democracy in Africa risks sliding back to dictatorship unless political leaders make tangible concessions to the people by embedding social welfare and economic justice into governance.
Speaking at the National Conference on the Future of Democracy in Nigeria, organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) in Abuja, the former presidential candidate said democracy must go beyond elections to delivering prosperity, jobs and hope to citizens.
He referenced a former head of state, who once remarked that “people will not eat democracy,” stressing that unless democracy translates into food on the table and better living conditions, it will lose legitimacy among the populace.
“When democracy ceases to offer opportunity or hope, despair breeds nostalgia for authoritarianism,” he said. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain noted that under a decade of All Progressives Congress (APC) rule, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had declined from $574 billion in 2014 to $259 billion, a contraction that reflects the worsening poverty and despair across the country.
Drawing lessons from history, Olawepo-Hashim compared Africa’s current democratic struggles to Europe’s experience after World War I, when fragile democracies collapsed under economic hardship and social division, ushering in dictators like Mussolini, Hitler and Franco.
“If African democracies continue to produce hunger and insecurity, relapse to autocracy is inevitable,” he warned. He maintained that constitutional reforms alone are not enough to save democracy, insisting that the strength of institutions ultimately depends on the integrity of those who run them.
His words: “Institutions are only as strong as the values of the individuals who manage them. Even under military rule, some judges defied pressure to uphold justice. Many African nations once came to Nigeria to ‘export judges’ because of our integrity.” He particularly praised Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, a former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), for his courage in conducting the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election despite enormous political pressure and fake court injunctions. According to him, “without Nwosu’s values, there would be no June 12 to remember.
His conduct remains legendary and should be celebrated.” Olawepo-Hashim urged Nigerian leaders to rebuild public confidence in democracy by delivering performance, fairness, and accountability rather than relying on the empty rituals of periodic elections. “Our democracy must deliver, must make sense, and must endure. Like our youths would say, ‘make it make sense.’ We must make our democracy make sense,” he emphasised.
The high level conference, themed “Sustaining democratic growth beyond the polls for effective governance,” was designed to spark a national conversation on how Nigeria can consolidate its democracy through institutional resilience, governance accountability, and civic participation that transcends electoral moments. The conference was graced by policymakers, civil society leaders, academics, and youth advocates from across the country, who examined Nigeria’s democratic trajectory and identified practical steps towards institutional reform and credible governance.
In a related development, a former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has urged northern leaders to spearhead efforts to rebuild trust in governance and strengthen national unity. Adebayo made the call after visiting the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, in Abuja.
Describing the ACF as “a premier institution in Northern Nigeria,” Adebayo commended Dalhatu for his decades of national service and role in resolving key national challenges. “My visit is not politically motivated, but to foster national dialogue and collective reflection before partisanship takes over,” Adebayo said. He identified three priorities for national renewal – the North’s leadership role in unity, ending episodic governance and empowering a new generation – to rebuild accountability of institutions.
“The journey to nationhood started in 1914. There is no reverse gear in the vehicle of Nigeria. We began with one North, one people, one destiny,” he said, while decrying that politics has become divisive. “Today, politics makes it seem every man is for himself. The ACF must use its moral authority to restore balance,” he said. Adebayo criticised the erosion of long-term planning and neglect of national projects, saying political energy was now spent on wrong priorities.
“The real issues; infrastructure, jobs and education are being ignored. Leaders must prioritise service delivery and accountability,” he said. He also decried rising religious and ethnic politics, saying: “In the past, you could not claim to be a Christian or Muslim leader in the North. Now, faith even determines value for life.” Adebayo urged youths to embrace inclusiveness and competence.
“Our politics must leave no one behind. It should be based on performance, not origin,” he said. Responding, Dalhatu described Adebayo’s visit as timely and commendable. “Your visit shows that in spite political differences, national interest can still come first,” he said.
He reaffirmed the ACF’s commitment to unity and good governance, saying: “We are not partisan but deeply interested in security, inclusion and development.” He added: “Whenever the country faces difficulty, the North feels the impact most. We must act with sincerity and vision to heal divisions.
“Our biggest challenge is trust; between government and citizens, North and South and among ethnic and religious groups.” Assuring Nigerians that the ACF will continue to serve as a moral compass, he said: “For 25 years, we have promoted unity and dialogue. We may not have power, but we have influence.”
