Elections Now Tools for Power Retention, Not Democracy – Jega
Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has warned that democracy in West Africa is declining 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 pointed to recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Niger as clear signs of growing public dissatisfaction, blaming political leaders who have prioritized personal interests over the needs of their citizens.
“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 cautioned that democratic setbacks caused by governance failures have provided justification for military interventions, endangering regional 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 warned.
He further criticized political leaders for manipulating elections to maintain their grip on power rather than strengthening democracy.
“Elections became largely farcical rituals designed to ensure the retention of the incumbent president and party,” he noted.
Jega also raised concerns over the growing use of identity politics, arguing that ethnic and religious divisions have been weaponized by politicians to tighten their control, thereby 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 observed.
Calling for urgent reforms, he emphasized the need to strengthen democratic institutions, enhance accountability, and ensure that elections genuinely reflect the people’s will.
He urged civil society organizations to resist the democratic decline and play a more active role in protecting democracy.
“Citizens and credible CSOs must continue to mobilize effectively for credible and sustainable democratic development,” Jega stated.
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