Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday called for a review of Nigeria’s governance structure, warning that excessive powers in the presidency and the rising culture of election litigation are damaging public trust in democracy.
Jonathan made the call at the 2026 Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Bauchi.
He said Nigeria’s presidential system concentrates too much authority in one office, and the country should reopen discussions on models that share power more effectively.
“Probably we need to go back to the pre-independence and early independence days of having a parliamentary system where powers are shared,” Jonathan said.
He explained that under a parliamentary arrangement, executive responsibilities would be split between a prime minister who manages government and national resources, and a president or ceremonial head of state with limited constitutional duties.
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He pointed to Switzerland and the United Kingdom as examples where collective decision-making reduces the risks tied to one-person rule.
“In Nigeria today, one person has almost all the powers. We need to have more conversations on the structure of leadership in our governance and what model will best suit our unique circumstances,” he added.
The former president devoted a significant part of his speech to Nigeria’s election disputes. He described the country’s post-election litigation culture as “extremely different” and “anomalous” compared to other African democracies.
Jonathan recalled being asked by a former South African Deputy President why Nigerian politicians go to court after losing elections.
“In South Africa, people do not normally go to court after losing an election. In Nigeria, election litigation has become so common that it is often factored into the election process,” he said.
While stressing that the judiciary must remain independent, Jonathan said confidence in some political judgments has dropped. He suggested that in “highly controversial cases, it is better for the election to go back to the people.”
He also criticised courts for intervening in political party primaries and in determining party candidates, saying the trend is creating uncertainty.
“Democracy is an ecosystem,” Jonathan said. “We need to reduce electoral disputes, restore confidence in elections and judicial decisions, and review how executive power is distributed if our democracy must grow stronger.”
