Nigerian Opposition Parties Going Extinct

28 August 2010

With the whirlwind of the 2011 general elections blowing in a frenzy and fast turning into a hurricane, with all the political actors scheming and jostling for relevance, political watchers across the country have raised an alarm over what they call a 'charade' of an electoral system devoid of a truly viable opposition. Among most of these critical analysts, the recent defection of former military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari from the All Nigeria People Party, erstwhile most formidable opposition in the country, sounded the death knell for the virtual extinction of the country's opposition political parties.

The once vibrant opposition political parties which used to be the hallmark of the country's democratic experience even up to the tail end of the Fourth Republic, have practically ceased to exist; fizzling out leaving in their wake carcasses of political parties with members whose souls are yearning for the ruling party. The parties now merely pretend to be opposition parties when it is convenient. The fear in most political circles is that the country may be nose-diving into a one party state, for all the politicians care.

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