Former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has warned that democracy in West Africa is deteriorating due to poor governance and ineffective leadership.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday as the keynote speaker at the “Reflection Conference on Democratic Elections in West Africa,” organized by Yiaga Africa, a civil society organization (CSO), Jega linked governance failures to the resurgence of military coups across the region.
He cited recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger as evidence of growing public dissatisfaction, attributing this unrest to the actions of political leaders who have prioritized personal gain over public service.
“The so-called elected representatives of the people have essentially converted public resources into personal fortunes at the expense of citizens’ needs and aspirations,” he said.
Jega warned that democratic setbacks caused by governance failures have provided justification for military interventions, posing a significant threat to the region’s stability.
“These persistent challenges have given coupists the excuses needed to stage a comeback—a dangerous phenomenon that could engulf the region and accelerate democratic backsliding unless addressed decisively and urgently,” he cautioned.
He criticized political leaders for using elections as a means to retain power rather than to deepen democracy.
“Elections became largely farcical rituals designed to ensure the retention of the incumbent president and party,” he noted.
Jega also highlighted the dangers of identity politics, arguing that ethnic and religious divisions have been weaponized by politicians to maintain control, further destabilizing the region. “Multiparty politics, circumscribed by negative identity mobilization, has been fractious, conflict-ridden, often violent, and divisive, rather than accommodative or unifying,” he said.
Calling for urgent reforms, he emphasized the need to strengthen democratic institutions, enhance accountability, and ensure that elections genuinely reflect the people’s will.
Jega urged civil society organizations to resist democratic decline, stating that “citizens and credible CSOs must continue to mobilize effectively for credible and sustainable democratic development.”
