Nigeria risking slide into one-party rule - Ozekhome warns

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and constitutional lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, has warned that Nigeria is dangerously edging toward authoritarianism, with signs pointing to the possible emergence of a one-party state if citizens and institutions remain complacent.

Speaking on Channels TV’s Hard Copy on Saturday, Ozekhome raised alarm over the shrinking space for political diversity, stressing that the country’s democratic foundations are under threat.

“In a one-party state, dictatorship reigns supreme. Everyone says yes, yes, yes. The National Assembly becomes pocketed, the judiciary follows, and dissent dies,” he said.

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He criticised the growing trend of political defections and party-switching, describing it as a symptom of shallow ideological commitment among Nigeria’s political class.

“It’s like beans, akara, and moi-moi — all made from the same thing,” he quipped, suggesting that many parties are essentially indistinguishable in values and vision.

Drawing parallels with history, Ozekhome reminded viewers of how the once-dominant PDP boasted of ruling for 60 years, only to be swept out after 16. He warned that the current administration, if unchecked, could repeat the same cycle of dominance and eventual collapse — but not before damaging the democratic structure.

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Ozekhome also pointed to President Bola Tinubu’s strategic positioning of loyalists across major institutions, warning that with the opposition fragmented and weak, the 2027 election could look more like a one-man race.

Even more concerning, according to him, is the growing public apathy. He likened Nigerians’ indifference to Stockholm Syndrome — where captives begin to identify with their captors.

“The power is yours; it’s not theirs,” he said, urging Nigerians to wake up and reclaim their role in shaping the country’s future.

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