Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday stressed the importance of aligning democratic governance with robust economic policies, cautioning that Nigeria must achieve real development results for its democracy to endure.
Speaking in Abuja at the unveiling of a research report by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, titled: “Strengthening the Nexus between Democracy and Economic Growth in Nigeria,” Jonathan urged policymakers to shift their focus beyond electoral processes.
He emphasized the need to cultivate transparent and accountable institutions capable of stimulating innovation, enterprise, and economic expansion. According to him, the global discourse on democracy is intensifying as numerous nations confront economic instability, security challenges, social unrest, and diminishing public trust in institutions.
Jonathan raised questions about whether democratic systems inherently guarantee superior governance, citing examples of non-democratic or hybrid systems that have achieved significant developmental milestones.
He posed the question: “Sometimes when I reflect on these issues, I ask myself: can we truly say democracy always guarantees better governance than other systems, such as what we see in parts of the Arab world or in monarchies?”
Citing Dubai as a prominent global centre, Jonathan pointed out its ability to attract international attention and investment, along with foreign students, despite not being a democracy.
“Many people travel to Dubai, which has become a global centre. I know some Americans who even send their children there for schooling, yet it is not a democracy,” he elaborated.
He also referenced China, where a governance model that integrates elements of selection and election reportedly results in a highly competitive leadership recruitment process.
“In China, before anyone becomes a mayor, there is a rigorous filtering process to ensure only the most capable individuals emerge. When you consider that, can we honestly say our democracy is operating at that level?” Jonathan inquired.
Despite these observations, the former president affirmed that democracy retains its appeal due to its foundational principles of freedom and justice, which are crucial for human dignity and societal advancement.
He concluded by stating that for democracy to thrive in Nigeria, it must deliver not only political engagement but also concrete economic advantages that improve the lives of its citizens.
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