Ozekhome Warns of Emerging Dictatorship, One-Party Rule in Nigeria

Constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has raised the alarm over what he described as Nigeria’s gradual drift toward authoritarian rule, warning that the country risks becoming a de facto one-party state if current political trends persist.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme on Saturday, Ozekhome expressed deep concern about the erosion of political diversity and ideological depth in Nigeria’s democratic space.

“In a one-party state, dictatorship reigns supreme. Everybody will agree. The National Assembly will be pocketed, the judiciary will be pocketed, and everyone will be saying ‘yes, yes, yes,’” he said.

The senior lawyer also criticised the widespread and opportunistic defections among politicians, arguing that the absence of firm ideological commitment has weakened Nigeria’s multiparty system.

“It’s like beans, akara, and moi-moi — they’re the same,” Ozekhome remarked, likening the country’s political parties to different forms of the same substance.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s political history, Ozekhome recalled how the once-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boasted of ruling for 60 years but was removed from power after just 16. He warned that similar overconfidence, now allegedly being exhibited by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), could set the stage for authoritarianism.

He expressed particular concern over President Bola Tinubu’s consolidation of loyalists across key institutions of government, warning that without a united and credible opposition, the 2027 general election might be reduced to a one-horse race.

“If opposition forces continue to remain fragmented, we might end up with a sham democracy where elections become formalities rather than true contests,” Ozekhome said.

His comments come amid growing concerns about shrinking civic space, weakening institutions, and increasing executive dominance in Nigeria’s political landscape.