Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the growing role of the judiciary in determining election outcomes in Nigeria, questioning whether democracy is served when the votes of millions of citizens can ultimately be overturned by a small number of judges.

Obasanjo spoke in Bauchi on Tuesday while chairing the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre. The event, themed "Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and Judiciary Save African Democracy?", brought together political leaders, statesmen, academics and democracy advocates from Nigeria and other African countries.

Obasanjo questioned whether it is democratic for millions of Nigerians to vote for their preferred candidates only for a few judges to have the final say on the outcome. The former president also raised concerns about the independence of the judiciary, questioning whether the institution is genuinely free from government influence.

According to him, the situation raises fundamental questions about the state of democracy in Nigeria and across Africa. Obasanjo stressed that democracy should go beyond elections and ultimately improve the lives of citizens by guaranteeing welfare, equality, inclusion, a sense of belonging and protection of lives and property.

— PUNCH