The Digest:
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has urged Nigerians to resist any attempt to impose one-party dominance in the country, warning that democratic erosion occurs gradually through "normalization of opportunistic defections" and "shrinking of institutional opposition." In a statement, spokesperson Habibu Sale Mohammed said political pluralism, ideological competition, and respect for electoral mandates are essential to preserving democratic vitality. The movement raised concerns that the All Progressives Congress (APC) now exercises "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 described such defections without ideological justification or constituency consultation as "a distortion of democratic representation." The group urged citizens to remain vigilant and safeguard democratic institutions, warning democracy must not be "weakened by convenience, nor compromised by concentration of power."
Key Points:
- The warning reflects growing concern over APC's legislative supermajority achieved through defections.
- It highlights the moral and constitutional questions around party-switching without mandate renewal.
- Opposition supporters gain a rallying call, while the ruling party's dominance faces scrutiny.
- This signals fears of democratic backsliding through electoral dominance.
- The timing, post-Electoral Act passage, amplifies concerns.
Kwankwasiyya Movement warns against creeping one-party dominance, citing APC's overwhelming influence through opportunistic defections as threat to democracy.
Sources: Daily Trust, Kwankwasiyya Movement Statement
