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The Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Godfrey Onah, has stated that Nigeria is gradually sliding into a one-party state.
This is even as he accused the current administration of using financial inducements to weaken opposition parties.
Bishop Onah made the remarks on Friday while officiating the burial mass of late Senator Okey Ezeah in Igbo Eze South local government area of Enugu State.
He described the present period as troubling for the country, warning that many Nigerians fear the erosion of multiparty democracy.
Drawing a comparison between former late President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, the cleric claimed that while the previous administration relied on intimidation that “cowed everybody into obedience and silence,” the current government is “pecuniarily cajoling” political actors into compliance.
The bishop also raised concerns about what he described as the dominance of the executive arm of government over the legislature and judiciary, arguing that the absence of effective checks and balances poses a threat to democratic governance.
The Bishop said: “These are very, very bad times for our country, Nigeria. A number of people are now afraid that we are gliding gradually into a one party state. I am one of those afraid.
“I said this in January 2024 not claiming to be a prophet or a social analyst, but from common sense that whereas the previous government on the national level intimidated everybody and cowed everybody to obedience and silence. It reduced opposition. The present one will pecuniarily cajole everybody into acquiescence. Gradually, all the parties, all the other parties, are collapsing into one party.
“Well, it shouldn’t surprise you, because this is the only country in the world that I know that exists, where elections are conducted on the tickets of parties, the name and picture of the candidate does not appear, and that candidate carries the banner of his party. They call him flag bearer, and that party wins election, he gets into the position and changes his party and remains in power.
“I don’t understand it. It’s madness. Senators who are here, if you do explain to me. We elected a party whose flag bearer it’s and you are no longer happy with the actions of that party, leave the party and leave the office and campaign for another position. That would be what I regard as legal.
“But that is not the main problem. One party is not our problem, if we maintain a system of government where there are checks and balances. I have always said it publicly many times that in Nigeria, we don’t have political parties based on ideologies. We have platforms for getting into power, remaining in power, having access to public funds, and sometimes for some of them, there are platforms for avoiding prosecution after embezzlement, for some.
“Now let’s mention name. How many of the people in APC now did not flow from PDP and other parties, and how many people in ADC now did not flow from other parties, moving like fluid and gas between tanks without return valve? This is taking all of us for a ride. And we lined up in the afternoon to vote for you?
“But that is not the worst problem. The worst problem is that there are no longer three arms of government. There is only now one arm of government, the executive.
“The executive has sucked up both the judiciary and the legislature. Legislators here, prove me wrong. If you can stop the borrowing of 40 something trillion that is already budgeted to finance the budget deficit. Prove me wrong.
“If you can insist on the electoral reform that will make our votes count. Prove me wrong. If you can say no to the decisions of the executive, not even local government counselors can oppose the chairman.”
