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The ongoing drift to one-party state in the country is real and worrisome. It portends great danger to the polity and by extension our nascent democracy. Although the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is apparently reaping bountifully from the unbridled migration from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and other fringe political parties into its fold, the new beautiful bride of Nigerian politics should neither rejoice nor gloat over the great misfortune.
The APC must learn from the mistakes of PDP, the former behemoth and avoid the current anomaly and save itself from implosion and unmitigated political disaster of unimaginable proportion. Those who are leaving their parties in droves at the slightest excuse and those jumping ship and defecting to the ruling party no matter the excuses, whether genuine or not, should watch it and play the game with great caution and circumspection.
The history of party politics in Nigeria has not at any time favoured the gravitation to one-party state and the death of opposition. The First Republic (1960-1966) failed probably because the then ruling party was highly intolerant of opposition and was hell-bent on killing it. The Second Republic (1979-1983) equally failed when the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) of Shehu Shagari resorted to impunity and muzzling of opposition. Like in the First Republic, the Second Republic also died a natural death.
The Third Republic (1985-1998) was the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida unending transition period with its challenges and predictable outcomes. It witnessed the longest transition period in the history of the country and the annulment of June 12, 1993 election won by Chief MKO Abiola. The Forth Republic which started in 1999 saw the emergence of the PDP on the political scene with much hype and dominance that mere getting the ticket of the party is as good as winning the poll. Its hegemonic hold on the polity lasted for about 16 years before it collapsed irretrievably.
Now with the APC in its 10th year in power, it should move with caution. In fact, the foregoing illustration is a cautionary tale to the chieftains of the APC and their numerous supporters that one-party state in untenable in Nigeria. They should beware of the moral component of power and use it to avoid hubris. Power is given by the people and must be used for their benefit. That is clearly the essence of our gathering once every four years to select or elect those who will be in charge of our sovereignty for the common good of all on our behalf. When this right to select our leaders through the ballot is violated, it becomes authoritarianism.
The massive carpet-crossing to APC has swelled its members in the National Assembly to the glaring detriment of the opposition. The APC has 75 senators, 232 reps and 26 governors. On the other hand, the main opposition PDP has 26 senators, 85 reps and 8 governors. The LP has 4 senators, 22 reps and one governor. The APGA has 2 senators, 5 reps and one governor. The NNPP has one senator, 15 reps and one governor. The foregoing shows that the opposition is fast shrinking.
Despite the depleting opposition, the ruling party is happy that the opposition is dying steadily. Its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, recently described the ruling APC as the new bride and boasted that many prominent members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will soon join the APC. In spite of the claims of the APC to control 30 states before the next election season, the National Secretary of the ADC and former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has equally boasted that its party will replace the APC in 2027 because of its failed promises to Nigerians.
The opposition should not be cowed to submission or be intimidated by the ruling party. They should wake up and stand firm and defend democracy. Democracy thrives robustly when there is a virile opposition. The APC did just that to the PDP prior to the 2015 general election. Then, they were loquacious, adamant and aggressive in their critique of the PDP government which they described as clueless, visionless and lacking in ideology and other unprintable epithets. What is happening to the opposition today? Have they lost their power and voice? Why are they silent?
I don’t really understand why a sitting and hard-working governor should abandon his party and shamelessly migrate to another party? I also wonder why a sitting governor who is not seeking for reelection should leave his party in preparation to probably migrate to the ruling party where they serve wine, hot jollof rice and pepper soup. Why must every politician belong to the APC? The reasons adduced so far for the mass defections to the ruling party are not altruistic. The APC should stop celebrating the national mass movement to its fold and think of its future. Without viable opposition, our democracy is doomed. Even the nation is doomed. Therefore, this drift to one-party state must be checked and halted before it is too late.
Our politicians should worry about the future of democracy in Africa. No doubt, democracy is under serious threat in Africa and some other parts of the world because of its imperfections. These imperfections are more obvious in developing countries and more especially in sub-Saharan Africa where there is a preponderance of coups and sit-tight leaders. As the giant of Africa and hope of the black world, Nigeria must avoid the error of descending into a one-party state with its dire consequences. If Nigeria fails to get it right, there is no hope for Africa and the black world.
Let the politicians worry more about delivering the dividends of democracy and improving the welfare of all citizens. Nigerians need better life, good roads and bridges, good houses, food, electricity, potable water, peace and security than the defection of politicians from one party to another. That bizarre bazaar must stop. They want an electoral system in which their votes must count and seen to be counted. They want a country where the loser of an election will in good faith congratulate the winner as the new chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, recently promised.
