Prominent constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has raised an alarm over Nigeria’s political trajectory, warning that the nation is gradually veering towards a one-party state—a path he says could lead to dictatorship if left unchecked.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy on Saturday, Ozekhome decried what he called “bootlicking at its highest level” and the rampant trend of political defections and cross-carpeting by elected officials. He described these movements as ideologically bankrupt and driven solely by personal ambition.
“It’s like beans, akara, and moi-moi—they’re all the same,” he said, arguing that the lack of distinction between parties is eroding Nigeria’s democratic foundation.
According to Ozekhome, the danger of a one-party state lies in the unchecked concentration of power. “In a one-party state, dictatorship reigns supreme. Everyone will conform. The National Assembly will be pocketed, the judiciary will be pocketed, and people will just be saying ‘yes, yes, yes,’” he warned.
Drawing on history, he referenced the former ruling party, the PDP, which once boasted it would govern for 60 years, only to collapse after 16. He likened that overconfidence to the current situation, noting that while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has strategically placed loyalists in key positions, it could create a scenario where “Tinubu virtually runs against himself” in 2027 if opposition parties remain fragmented.
Ozekhome also expressed concern over the growing apathy among Nigerians, comparing it to a “Stockholm Syndrome.” He said citizens battered by economic hardship have become too resigned to challenge authority, resulting in a sense of “helplessness and hopelessness.”
He called on Nigerians to reclaim their democratic agency: “Be resilient. Hold your leaders accountable. The power is yours—it is not theirs.”
ADEOLA KUNLE
