4 May, 2027
Jikan waziri
In a constitutional democracy, sovereignty belongs to the people. The ballot, not the governor’s office, is the legitimate source of political power. Yet a dangerous norm persists in Nigeria’s political culture: the idea that sitting governors can “anoint” successors and impose candidates on their parties. This practice is not just undemocratic, it is an affront to voters, a betrayal of party members, and a recurring recipe for political instability.
An Insult to the Voter’s Intelligence
Democracy rests on the principle of free choice. When a governor handpicks a successor, he tells the electorate that their judgment is irrelevant. The primary purpose of elections to allow citizens to select those who will represent them is reduced to a ritual. The voter becomes a rubber stamp, not a kingmaker. This breeds apathy, lowers turnout, and deepens the cynicism that “votes don’t count.” No democracy can thrive when citizens believe outcomes are predetermined in Government House.
A Violation of Party Democracy
Political parties are meant to be platforms for contestation, not personal estates. The Electoral Act 2022 and most party constitutions mandate primaries precisely to give party faithful the right to choose flagbearers. Imposition sidesteps this process. It disenfranchises loyal members who fund the party, campaign at the grassroots, and sustain its structures. When a governor annuls internal democracy, he signals that loyalty flows upward, not outward. The party ceases to be a vehicle for public service and becomes an instrument of personal succession.
A Failed Political Experiment
History offers a clear lesson: governors rarely sustain harmony with their “anointed” successors. From Obasanjo and Atiku, to Kwankwaso and Ganduje, to Oshiomhole and Obaseki, the pattern is consistent. Anointing creates two centers of power: the godfather who expects loyalty, and the successor who inherits constitutional authority. The inevitable clash paralyzes governance, divides the party, and distracts from policy. The state, not the politicians, pays the price. If imposition worked, governors would not keep repeating the same mistake.
steps are critical:
Strengthen Internal Party Democracy: INEC must enforce the Electoral Act’s provisions on primaries. Direct primaries, monitored and transparent, reduce room for manipulation.
Democracy is not the absence of leadership; it is the presence of accountability. Governors are elected to govern, not to coronate. Anointing candidates insults the voter, weakens the party, and destabilizes the polity. If we truly believe in government of the people, by the people, and for the people, then the only anointing that matters should come from the ballot box.
The era of political godfatherism must give way to the era of popular sovereignty. Let the people choose.
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Opinion