Top lawyers and political scholars have urged Nigerian politicians to abandon any focus on creating a one-party system and instead address the deepening poverty and insecurity across the country.
While they acknowledged that a one-party state is legal under Nigeria’s Constitution, they emphasized it’s neither practical nor ideal given the country’s complex political landscape.
The warning follows a wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling APC, prompting fears that Nigeria could drift into a one-party state.
Critics blame National Assembly leadership for enabling these defections by failing to enforce laws that should disqualify defecting lawmakers.
Analysts also say the mass defections are more about personal ambition than ideology, with politicians often switching sides for re-election chances or political survival.
The opposition PDP is currently in crisis, with former Senate President Bukola Saraki leading a team to stop further defections and stabilize the party ahead of a crucial NEC meeting.
Meanwhile, PDP acting chairman Iliya Damagum rejected claims he’s secretly working for the APC, stressing his long-term loyalty to the PDP.
Experts across the board agree that a true one-party state is unrealistic in Nigeria, citing the country’s diversity, political sophistication, and constitutional safeguards.
