•George Weah
Former Liberian president, George Weah, has warned that democracy is endangered when elected governments weaken institutions, compromise the judiciary and undermine the safeguards designed to check executive power.
Weah gave the warning while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he charged lawyers and judges to remain fearless in defending the rule of law and democratic institutions.
According to him, elections alone cannot sustain democracy, stressing that the true test of democratic governance lies in the strength of institutions and the ability of the judiciary and legal profession to hold those in power accountable, reports Daily Independent.
“Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections alone. Elections are merely the doorway into democracy, not the house itself.
“What keeps democracy standing are institutions, and among the most important of these are an independent judiciary and a principled Bar,” he said.
The former Liberian leader said democratic systems could be undermined not only through military coups or refusal by defeated politicians to concede elections, but also through the gradual erosion of institutional safeguards by elected leaders.
He said an independent judiciary and a fearless Bar were indispensable to protecting citizens’ rights, maintaining accountability and preventing the abuse of executive power.
Weah warned against governments that profess commitment to democracy while exerting influence over judges and judicial institutions to manipulate the rule of law.
He identified budgetary controls, politically motivated judicial appointments and pressure on judges among practices capable of weakening judicial independence, warning that once the courts lose their independence, public confidence, investment, security and national stability are placed at risk.
The former football star-turned-president urged lawyers across Africa to remain vigilant and resist every attempt to compromise the independence of the judiciary, stressing that judicial decisions must be allowed to stand without political interference.
Drawing from his experience in office, Weah recalled his decision to concede defeat in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election before the final results were completed, saying the interest of the country and the will of the people must always prevail over personal ambition.
“I have always believed that the will of the people must stand above the ambitions of any one man in a democratic setting,” he said.
He noted that disputed elections could threaten national peace and security, insisting that political leaders must place the survival of democratic institutions above personal or partisan interests.
Weah also challenged African countries to address poor governance and weak infrastructure, while advocating stronger engagement with the continent’s diaspora and greater investment in institution-building as critical pathways to sustainable development.
