Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, has said Nigeria is not drifting toward a one-party state, but warned that the country’s democracy is under threat due to weak political parties, poor internal democracy, and fragile institutions.
Gambari made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television, where he stressed that Nigeria’s democratic challenges cannot be solved by political rhetoric or the emergence of dominant political figures.
He explained that Nigeria’s constitutional structure, political diversity, and history of competitive elections make the establishment of a formal one-party system unlikely. However, he cautioned that democracy could still suffer if opposition parties continue to weaken and fail to provide credible alternatives to the ruling party.
According to Gambari, the real danger lies in the absence of strong institutions capable of checking abuse of power. He said democracy thrives on the strength of institutions such as the judiciary, legislature, and electoral bodies, not on the influence of individuals or political parties alone.
He also identified the lack of internal democracy within political parties as a major problem, noting that candidates are often imposed by powerful interests rather than emerging through transparent and competitive primaries. This, he said, fuels defections, weakens party ideology, and erodes public confidence in the political system.
Gambari further argued that political accountability, good governance, and service delivery should matter more to citizens than party labels. He added that for democracy to function effectively, opposition parties must be issue-driven, policy-focused, and capable of holding the government to account.
His comments come amid rising concerns over mass defections to the ruling party and growing public debate about shrinking political competition in Nigeria. Gambari’s intervention shifts attention away from fears of a one-party state to the deeper structural problems affecting Nigeria’s democratic development.
Abuja Network News
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