The Kwankwasiyya Movement has condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC), the National Assembly of Nigeria, and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing them of pushing Nigeria toward a one-party state by ignoring strong concerns and agitations against the passage of the amended Electoral Act.
The group’s spokesperson, Habibu Muhammad Mailemo, in a statement released on Thursday, expressed concern over the recent passage and accelerated presidential assent to what it described as controversial amendments to the Electoral Act, despite widespread public protests, sustained civil society advocacy, expert warnings, and clear public sentiment in favour of stronger electoral safeguards.
He said the development laid bare the dangers of unchecked one-party dominance.
“It is now evident that the APC 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,” he said.
“These defections are not merely political movements; they raise serious moral and constitutional concerns. When elected representatives abandon the political platforms upon which they were entrusted with the people’s mandate without clear ideological justification or constituency consultation, it amounts to a distortion of democratic representation.”
Mailemo reminded that the mandate belongs to the electorate, not to the personal convenience of office holders.
He noted that Nigerian democracy was designed to function on the principles of checks and balances, adding that a vibrant opposition, legislative independence, and responsiveness to public opinion are foundational pillars of constitutional governance. According to him, when defections systematically weaken opposition ranks, legislative scrutiny diminishes and executive proposals face reduced resistance regardless of public sentiment.
“The controversy surrounding the amended Electoral Act is a clear example. Despite nationwide demonstrations, position papers from respected civil society organisations, and broad public discourse calling for stronger guarantees of transparency, the ruling party ultimately secured its preferred legislative outcome,” he said.
He added that the sequence of events reinforces the perception that growing numerical dominance in the legislature is translating into diminished accountability.
“Democracy rarely collapses suddenly. More often, it erodes gradually through the normalisation of opportunistic defections, the shrinking of institutional opposition, and the passage of laws that fail to reflect the popular will,” he said.
Mailemo explained that the concentration of power without effective counterbalance creates conditions where the voice of the electorate can be sidelined with minimal institutional resistance.
“The Kwankwasiyya Movement firmly believes that Nigeria must resist any drift toward de facto one-party dominance. Political pluralism, ideological competition, and respect for electoral mandates are essential to preserving democratic vitality. Defection should never become a shortcut to consolidate power at the expense of voters’ choices.
“We call on elected representatives to remember that their loyalty is first and foremost to the Nigerian people. We urge citizens to remain vigilant, peaceful, and actively engaged in safeguarding democratic institutions.
“Nigerian democracy belongs to its people. It must not be weakened by convenience, nor compromised by concentration of power.”
