Prominent Nigerian lawyer and constitutional expert, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has cautioned that the country is veering dangerously close to authoritarianism, warning that if current political trends remain unchecked, Nigeria could morph into a one-party state with grave consequences for democracy.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, Ozekhome described the prevailing political climate as one marked by ideological decay, opportunism, and blind loyalty to those in power. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said these dynamics are fueling an environment conducive to dictatorship.
“Nigeria is gradually driving without knowing it towards a one-party state,” Ozekhome said, adding that the absence of ideological distinction among political actors has made party switching a norm rather than an exception. “It’s like beans, akara, and moi-moi; they’re the same,” he said, describing the political terrain as lacking coherence or principle.
He criticised politicians who abandon their parties for personal gain, asserting that the frequency of such cross-carpeting reflects a deeper structural failure within the political system. “In a one-party state, dictatorship reigns supreme,” he warned, emphasising the risk of democratic institutions being rendered ineffective.
Ozekhome went further to explain that such a system would see all arms of government—legislative, judicial, and executive—fall under the sway of a dominant political force.
“Everybody will agree. National Assembly pocketed, judiciary will be pocketed, and everybody will be saying ‘yes, yes, yes,’” he said, painting a scenario where dissent is extinguished and checks and balances cease to function.
The lawyer referenced the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) 16-year hold on power, recalling how the party once boasted that it would rule Nigeria for 60 years—a projection that collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions.
He said a similar scenario could play out under the current government if opposition parties continue to fail in forming a viable alternative.
Ozekhome did not also spare the electorate from criticism. He pointed to what he called the “Stockholm Syndrome” gripping many Nigerians, a psychological state in which the oppressed begin to identify with and defend their oppressors.
“The average Nigerian is so helpless and hopeless, pushed to the wall. Yet, instead of challenging their aggressors, they retreat inwardly,” he said.
Despite this grim assessment, Ozekhome called on citizens to reclaim their democratic power.
“The power is yours; it is not theirs,” he reminded Nigerians, urging them to hold those in government accountable and to resist political complacency.
Ozekhome’s comments appear as both a warning and a challenge—urging a rethink of the nation’s political direction before the 2027 elections approach with even less room for credible opposition.
