Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo shared a story of how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost a local government election in Ogun State in 1998 because he rejected plans to bribe officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Speaking in Abeokuta at a high-level consultation on 'Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa,' Obasanjo recounted that party leaders suggested allocating money for the police and INEC, but he refused, believing that INEC officials and policemen are government workers with monthly salaries.

During the debate with politicians and professors, Obasanjo expressed discomfort with the term 'Nigerian factor' when discussing democracy and developmental issues. He recalled the 1998 local government election where his party lost because he refused to adhere to the so-called Nigerian factor in planning. Despite the loss, Obasanjo stood firm against bribery and recounted the guilt he felt when party members claimed they would have won if allowed to proceed with their usual practices.

He emphasized the negative impact of poverty and lack of education on democracy, stating that hunger and poverty can lead individuals to accept anything, and deliberate efforts seem to be fostering poverty and lack of education in the country.