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Ibadan, Oyo State — Saturday, April 25, 2026 – The Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Seyi Makinde, FNSE, on Saturday sounded a stark warning over the shrinking space for political competition in Nigeria, declaring that “democracy without opposition is not democracy, it is a slow drift toward a one-party state.”
Governor Makinde made the declaration while delivering the Welcome Address at the National Summit of Opposition Political Leaders, themed _“Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National Dialogue,”_ held at the Banquet Hall, Oyo State Government House, Ibadan.
Welcoming national chairmen of opposition parties, former governors, and key political stakeholders to the ancient city, the Governor said the current political climate demanded urgent, honest reflection beyond partisan lines.
“Welcome to Ibadan,” he began. “Across Nigeria today, we are witnessing a level of political concentration that should concern all of us.”
Governor Makinde noted that a significant majority of state governments were now aligned under one party, while “there are open efforts to consolidate legislative control under one party.” He expressed further concern that opposition parties were “increasingly entangled in internal crises and legal battles that raise serious questions about their ability to function effectively.”
“Taken individually, each of these may have its own explanation. But taken together, they point to a pattern where the space for real political competition is disappearing,” he cautioned.
The Governor stressed that democracy was not destroyed overnight but “weakened step by step until people begin to feel it no longer works for them.” He argued that the erosion of viable opposition could no longer be dismissed, regardless of political leaning.
“Because when opposition becomes ineffective, democracy itself begins to lose meaning,” Makinde stated.
Drawing a clear distinction, the Oyo State Governor emphasized that democracy was not defined by the dominance of one party but by the existence of real alternatives. “It is defined by the ability of citizens to choose, and by the confidence that those choices matter. Once that disappears, what we have may still be called democracy, but it will no longer function as one.”
Makinde said the choice of Ibadan as host city was deliberate and historic. “That this discussion is happening here in Ibadan is not by accident. Ibadan has always served as the political capital of southwest Nigeria.”
He recalled that in 1950, the city hosted critical conversations that helped shape Nigeria’s constitutional future. “Those discussions were not perfect, but they were necessary. They were driven by a recognition that the structure of a nation must be deliberately built, protected, and, when necessary, debated. In many ways, this gathering we are having here today carries that same responsibility.”
Moving to dispel speculation, Governor Makinde clarified the intent of the summit. “Let me also be clear about what this meeting is not. It is not a gang-up against one man; and it is not about individual ambitions to be president. It is about the collective ambition of the Nigerian people to have a democracy properly defined.”
He framed the dialogue as one focused on “something more fundamental — the survival of a system that allows Nigeria to remain open, competitive, and accountable,” warning again that “Nigeria must not make that drift” into a one-party state.
The Governor maintained that credible opposition was indispensable to democratic stability. “No matter how strong any party becomes, no matter how popular any government may appear, the presence of credible opposition is not a threat to democracy, it is what sustains democracy.”
He warned that if opposition was allowed to weaken, “whether by design or by neglect, then we all bear the consequences.”
In his closing charge, Makinde called for unity, engagement, and responsibility from political leaders across divides. “So, this is not a moment for fragmentation. It is not a moment for silence. And it is certainly not a moment to disengage politically. It is a moment to think clearly, to speak honestly, and to act with a sense of responsibility that goes beyond party lines.”
“Nigeria has come too far to pretend that this does not matter,” he concluded. “And the responsibility to ensure that it does not go further than it should belongs to all of us.”
The National Summit, convened in Ibadan, is part of a series of high-level consultations by opposition leaders aimed at safeguarding democratic institutions and restoring competitive politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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