Mike Ozekhome, renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has issued a grave warning that Nigeria is rapidly morphing into a de facto one-party state under the guise of democracy. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Mike Ozekhome lamented what he described as the systematic erosion of pluralism and dissent in the country’s political landscape, attributing the trend to the overbearing dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the deliberate weakening of opposition parties, coercive use of security agencies, and executive manipulation of electoral institutions are creating a dangerous precedent. “What we are witnessing is not democracy, but civil authoritarianism. Nigeria is no longer governed by the rule of law, but by the rule of rulers,” Ozekhome declared, warning that silence in the face of creeping tyranny could spell the end of the nation’s hard-won democratic gains.
Disappearing Opposition and the Specter of Political Homogenization
Mike Ozekhome emphasized that the country’s political opposition has been pushed to the brink of extinction, with key opposition figures either being co-opted, silenced, or prosecuted on dubious charges. “Opposition voices are either hounded with the EFCC or wooed with appointments,” he noted. This trend, he said, mimics the oppressive tactics of one-party regimes that neutralize dissent while feigning democratic tolerance.
He argued that the current political trajectory bears alarming resemblance to countries where democracy was eventually dismantled under legal pretenses. “What we have is a sophisticated, digitized form of fascism cloaked in constitutional processes,” Ozekhome said. The senior lawyer accused the ruling party of weaponizing state apparatus to achieve hegemonic control and entrench itself beyond 2027.
Judiciary’s Integrity Under Siege: A Tool or a Victim?
Mike Ozekhome did not spare the judiciary in his critique, warning that the third arm of government is becoming a pawn in the executive’s grand design to consolidate power. He accused judicial actors of compromising their independence, thereby enabling anti-democratic practices. “Some judges now deliver judgments not from the sacred altars of justice, but from the stained corridors of influence,” he said.
He further alleged that judicial verdicts in high-profile electoral cases have increasingly favored the ruling party, even in the face of glaring inconsistencies. “Where justice bends to the whims of power, dictatorship thrives,” he warned. Mike Ozekhome called for urgent reforms to insulate the judiciary from executive manipulation and to restore public confidence in the justice system.
Compromised Electoral Process: INEC in the Crosshairs
Highlighting what he termed the “institutionalized fraud” in Nigeria’s electoral process, Ozekhome lambasted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to inspire trust among Nigerians. “INEC is gradually becoming an accomplice to political illegitimacy,” he said, citing irregularities in recent gubernatorial and senatorial elections across the country.
He warned that without credible elections, democracy becomes a farce. “Elections in Nigeria are now exercises in high-tech rigging. From BVAS manipulation to real-time result tampering, we are witnessing a hijack of democratic choice,” Mike Ozekhome declared. He demanded a full audit of INEC operations and the prosecution of officials found to have colluded with political actors to subvert the will of the people.
Civil Society Silenced, Press Under Pressure
Mike Ozekhome expressed deep concern over the growing repression of civil society organizations and independent media. He said draconian laws, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation have become routine tools to muzzle free speech and civic engagement. “Journalists are being gagged, activists are being jailed, and Nigerians are being coerced into silence,” he said.
He drew parallels with regimes where democracy was replaced by military-style rule through the silencing of dissent. “Once the media is controlled and civil society is decapitated, democracy becomes an illusion,” he said. Mike Ozekhome urged civil society actors to remain resilient and for the press to resist state capture, describing them as the last bulwark against dictatorship.
Urgent Call for National Resistance and Reawakening
Mike Ozekhome called on Nigerians across all divides to rise and reclaim their democracy. He stressed that the time for passive observation has passed, and that citizens must become active participants in defending their rights and freedoms. “Democracy dies when good people remain silent. We must organize, educate, and resist,” he asserted.
He proposed the formation of a coalition of democratic forces — comprising legal professionals, activists, opposition parties, students, and faith-based groups — to mount strategic resistance against democratic backsliding. “This is not just a political crisis, it is an existential one. If we fail to act now, we may lose Nigeria as we know it,” Mike Ozekhome warned solemnly.
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