Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has questioned the growing role of the judiciary in determining the outcome of elections in Nigeria, Peak Newspaper reports.
Obasanjo raised the concern while speaking at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, where he questioned whether it was democratic for millions of Nigerians to cast their votes only for a handful of judges to ultimately determine who wins an election.
He asked, “If millions of people have voted and five people would form a decision either in favour or against the decision of millions of people, is that democracy?”
The former president also questioned the independence of the judiciary and whether it was free from government influence.
Obasanjo said the situation raises fundamental questions about the state of democracy in Nigeria and Africa, stressing that democracy should go beyond elections and deliver good governance, inclusion, equality, security and improved welfare for citizens.
He added that political parties must also examine whether they are genuinely contributing to the development and sustenance of democracy.
