Africa: Ex-Liberian President Warns African Leaders - Democracy At Risk When Elected Govts Become Tyrannical

What the report says

Former Liberian President George Weah used a keynote address at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th annual conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to caution African leaders that democracy can be eroded from within when elected governments weaken courts, legislatures and other checks on executive power. According to This Day, which AllAfrica distributed, Weah argued that elections alone do not sustain democracy and said lawyers have a central role in defending the rule of law, judicial independence and citizens’ rights.

Weah said political leaders may be tempted to manipulate budgets, appointments and state institutions, creating conditions in which elected officials behave like authoritarian rulers. He also pointed to his own concession in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election as an example of putting national stability ahead of personal ambition. The article said he described public office as temporary stewardship and called on legal professionals across Africa to be firm when justice and constitutional protections are under pressure.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara opened the conference by urging judges and lawyers to resist political interference, corruption and delay in the justice system. He said his administration had expanded access to justice through additional judges and courts and reaffirmed support for judicial autonomy. Outgoing NBA President Afam Osigwe said bringing the conference back to Port Harcourt reflected the association’s earlier commitment after the event was moved in 2025 during a period of emergency rule in the state. The remarks underscored continuing concerns in Nigeria and across the region about institutional independence and democratic governance.