Former President of Liberia, George Weah, has warned that democracy cannot survive on elections alone, saying the endurance of democratic governance depends largely on the strength of institutions, an independent judiciary and the courage of the legal profession to hold political power holders accountable.
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, Weah cautioned African leaders against using electoral victories as a licence to undermine democratic institutions.
The conference, with the theme, ‘Beyond Limits’, attracted lawyers, judges, policymakers and other stakeholders from across Nigeria and beyond.
According to the former Liberian president, elections are only the entry point into democracy and not democracy itself, stressing that institutions such as the judiciary and parliament must remain strong enough to check the excesses of those in power.
“Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections alone. Elections are the doorway into democracy, not the house itself,” Weah said, adding that a leader who emerges through a free and fair election could still gradually transform into an authoritarian ruler by weakening the judiciary, legislature and other institutions.
“A tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant,” he declared, warning that the threat to democracy was not limited to military coups or defeated politicians refusing to concede elections, but could also emerge from elected governments that pressure judges, manipulate institutions or turn legislatures into “echo chambers” for executive power.
Weah said the rule of law must guarantee equal protection for ordinary citizens, regardless of their political connections or social status, stressing that a compromised judiciary ultimately undermines public trust, investment, security and peace.
He, therefore, charged Nigerian lawyers to defend judicial independence and ensure that courts remained institutions where citizens could seek justice without political permission.
The former footballer also recalled his decision to concede defeat in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election, saying he placed the will and peace of his country above personal ambition.
He argued that political office should be regarded as temporary stewardship and not a possession worth sacrificing national stability to retain.
Speaking earlier, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said the judiciary remained indispensable to democratic governance because the courts serve as a refuge for citizens seeking justice, accountability and protection of their constitutional rights.
He urged judges to demonstrate courage and integrity by holding both government and citizens accountable to the constitution and rule of law.
Fubara, who recalled that Port Harcourt was originally scheduled to host the NBA conference in 2025 before the declaration of an emergency forced its relocation to Enugu, said the return of the conference symbolised the restoration of democratic institutions in the state.
He assured delegates of their safety and said his administration would continue to support judicial independence and access to justice.
The governor disclosed that his administration expanded access to justice through the appointment of more judges and establishment of additional courts, including a Federal High Court building expected to be handed over before the end of the year. He also pledged continued support for the administrative and financial autonomy of the state judiciary.
Outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, said the association deliberately returned its flagship conference to Port Harcourt after democratic governance was restored in Rivers, stressing that the decision was consistent with the NBA’s commitment to the rule of law.
