…Says, one-party dominance is dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy
The Kwankwasiyya movement has expressed serious concern over the recent passage and accelerated presidential assent to the controversial amendments of the 2022 Electoral Act despite widespread public protests.
The movement noted that this was in spite of consistent civil society advocacy, expert warnings, and clear public sentiment in favour of stronger electoral safeguards, stressing that the development laid bare the dangers of unchecked one-party dominance.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement in a statement by its Spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, stated that it is now evident that the All Progressives Congress (APC), exercises an overwhelming influence across the Executive and the National Assembly, a dominance significantly strengthened by defections from elected officials who secured their mandates on the platforms of other political parties.
It noted that the sequence of events reinforced the perception that the growing numerical dominance in the legislature is translating into diminished accountability, adding that the defections were not merely political movements; but raised serious moral and constitutional concerns.
The statement stressed that Nigeria’s democracy belongs to its people, thus must not be weakened by convenience, nor compromised by concentration of power.
“When elected representatives abandon the political platforms upon which they were entrusted with the people’s mandate without clear ideological justification or constituency consultation, it amounts to a distortion of democratic representation.
“The mandate belongs to the electorate, not to the personal convenience of officeholders.
“Nigeria’s democracy was designed to function on the principles of checks and balances. A vibrant opposition, legislative independence, and responsiveness to public opinion are foundational pillars of constitutional governance. “When defections systematically weaken opposition ranks, legislative scrutiny diminishes, and executive proposals face reduced resistance regardless of public sentiment,” it stressed.
The movement particularly said that the controversy surrounding the amended Electoral Act is a clear example, stressing that despite nationwide demonstrations, position papers from respected civil society organizations, and broad public discourse calling for stronger guarantees of transparency, the ruling party ultimately secured its preferred legislative outcome.
According to the Movement; “Democracy rarely collapses suddenly. More often, it erodes gradually through the normalization of opportunistic defections, the shrinking of institutional opposition, and the passage of laws that fail to reflect the popular will.
“The concentration of power without effective counterbalance creates conditions where the voice of the electorate can be sidelined with minimal institutional resistance,” it emphasised.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement expressed its firm believe that Nigeria must resist any drift toward de facto one-party dominance, saying that political pluralism, ideological competition, and respect for electoral mandates are essential to preserving democratic vitality.
It further said; “Defection should never become a shortcut to consolidate power at the expense of voters’ choices”.
The movement therefore called on elected representatives to remember that their loyalty is first and foremost to the Nigerian people, thus urged citizens to remain vigilant, peaceful, and actively engaged in safeguarding democratic institutions.
