Mike Ozekhome Warns: Nigeria’s Democracy at Risk of Turning into One-Party Authoritarian Rule
By Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb, LL.M, Ph.D.
Constitutional lawyer Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has issued a stark warning that Nigeria is dangerously edging toward authoritarianism, cautioning that the country risks becoming a de facto one-party state if current political trends go unchecked.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, Ozekhome highlighted a troubling erosion of political diversity and ideological conviction in Nigeria’s democracy. “In a one-party state, dictatorship reigns supreme. The National Assembly will be controlled, the judiciary pocketed, and dissent silenced,” he said.
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He criticized the rampant political defections and party-switching among politicians, describing it as a sign of weak ideological foundations. “It’s like beans, akara, and moi-moi — they’re essentially the same,” he remarked, emphasizing the interchangeable nature of political parties in Nigeria.
Drawing lessons from Nigeria’s political past, Ozekhome recalled how the then-dominant PDP once boasted it would rule for 60 years, only to be ousted after 16. He warned against complacency under the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu, pointing out that Tinubu has consolidated loyalists in key government institutions.
Ozekhome cautioned that if opposition parties remain divided, the 2027 elections could turn into a mere formality, resembling a solo contest.
He also expressed concern over widespread apathy among Nigerians, likening it to a form of national “Stockholm Syndrome,” where victims sympathize with their captors. Urging Nigerians to reclaim their democratic power, he stressed, “The power is yours; it is not theirs.”
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