Once hailed as Africa’s beacon of democracy, Nigeria now teeters dangerously on the edge of authoritarianism, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) tightens its grip on power with what critics describe as iron fists cloaked in constitutional gloves. Since the APC’s ascension to power in 2015, the political atmosphere has grown increasingly suffocating—choked by intimidation, judicial manipulation, and a weaponized security apparatus that seems to operate more like a private militia than protectors of democracy.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sounded the alarm repeatedly, warning of a slow but deliberate strangulation of Nigeria’s democratic values. From Lagos to Kano, from Rivers to Zamfara, stories of suppressed rallies, teargassed opposition gatherings, and opposition leaders whisked away by masked security operatives have become all too common. According to the Centre for Democracy and Development, there were at least 23 documented attacks on opposition gatherings between 2019 and 2023—yet not a single high-profile investigation or sanction followed. In Tinubu’s Nigeria, impunity reigns while opposition voices are silenced.
Civil society and rights watchdogs are not staying silent either. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly flagged Nigeria for its rising authoritarian tendencies—arbitrary arrests, detention without trial, suppression of peaceful protests, and violent crackdowns on civil dissent. The scars of the #EndSARS protests are still fresh, not just in memory, but in the lived reality of many young Nigerians who continue to face state-sanctioned persecution. In 2023, Freedom House downgraded Nigeria to “Partly Free,” highlighting the shrinking space for civil liberties, independent media, and judicial impartiality. And just this year, Reporters Without Borders ranked Nigeria 123rd out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index—a grim testament to the growing hostility against the fourth estate.
The judiciary, once the last bastion of hope for many citizens, has not been spared. Rulings that stunned even the most seasoned legal observers have continued to roll in, particularly in states like Imo and Zamfara, where opposition electoral victories were reversed under suspicious circumstances. The International Commission of Jurists, in its latest findings, pointed to “increasing executive interference” in Nigeria’s judiciary, a reality that threatens the credibility of the courts and the future of electoral justice.
Yet, the APC maintains that it is the party of progress, pointing to road projects, digital economy reforms, and supposed electoral upgrades as proof of its democratic credentials. But for millions of Nigerians whose rights are trampled, whose voices are muted, and whose ballots are routinely rendered meaningless, these “achievements” are nothing more than a smokescreen for the creeping establishment of a one-party state.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other PDP stalwarts have issued chilling warnings: Nigeria is fast becoming a civilian dictatorship—a nation ruled not by the ballot, but by brute power, legal gymnastics, and executive manipulation. In a call to action that echoed across the country earlier this year, Atiku implored all opposition forces to set aside differences and unite in defense of democracy, declaring that the survival of Nigeria’s democratic experiment depends on it.
And make no mistake—this is no political exaggeration. Analysts warn that Nigeria is now facing a decisive moment in its post-military democratic journey. If current trends continue unchecked, 2027 may not be an election—it may be a coronation. With shrinking civil space, manipulated courts, and an increasingly hostile political climate, democracy is on life support, and the clock is ticking.
So the question remains: Can Nigeria pull back from the brink? Or will we wake up one day to discover that the largest democracy in Africa has become just another cautionary tale?
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Image: Gerd Altmann Pixabay
