A Democracy in Shackles: How APC’s Tyranny Redefines Governance in Nigeria

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

In a move that reeks of insecurity and political cowardice, a prominent opposition figure was recently denied access to a Nigerian state governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was an act so ridiculous, so blatantly undemocratic, that it should outrage every Nigerian who still believes in the sanctity of our constitution. Yet in the twisted world of Nigerian politics under APC rule, such abuses of power are now routine, laughed off by party loyalists and excused by compromised institutions.

This incident, though outrageous, is nothing new. It is just the latest entry in the growing catalogue of authoritarianism that defines APC’s version of democracy. While it may serve as a grim masterclass for future administrations on how to stifle dissent and weaponize state power, it also marks a dangerous shift away from democratic norms and toward full-blown tyranny.

Constitutional Rights Under Siege

Section 41(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution is clear: “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof.” Denying any Nigerian, let alone a public figure with national relevance, the right to enter any state is not only unconstitutional, it is criminal. When a government starts deciding who can and cannot enter parts of the country based on political affiliation, that government is no longer democratic. It is dictatorial.

It is important to remember that political opposition is not a crime. It is a necessary pillar of democracy. The APC’s action is not governance, it is an attempt to choke the very air democracy breathes.

A Pattern of Repression

This is far from an isolated event. Since the APC took power in 2015, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented erosion of democratic values. The government has systematically turned law enforcement agencies into tools of oppression. Peaceful protesters are arrested. Opposition campaigns are blocked. Media outlets are intimidated. And now, opposition leaders are being barred from entire states.

In 2018, the Department of State Services (DSS) infamously barricaded the National Assembly, attempting to forcefully change legislative leadership in broad daylight. That same year, the police under the command of the APC-led executive blocked Senate President Bukola Saraki’s convoy. These events were not just violations of individual rights, they were direct attacks on the democratic institution of checks and balances.

Freedom House, the globally respected democracy watchdog, classified Nigeria as “Partly Free” in its 2023 report, citing increased government intimidation of journalists, political opposition, and civil society. Transparency International has consistently ranked Nigeria poorly in corruption perception indices, highlighting the decay of both moral and institutional integrity under APC rule.

Weaponizing Security Forces

The selective use of security forces by APC governors and the presidency has become a dangerous norm. Instead of ensuring public safety and upholding the rule of law, police and military personnel are deployed to serve narrow political interests. During elections, they harass voters and opposition agents. During rallies, they intimidate citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

The recent blockade of an opposition figure’s convoy from entering a state controlled by the APC is yet another abuse in a long line of infractions. This is state-sponsored lawlessness masquerading as governance. What we are witnessing is not just the death of democracy, but it is the burial of accountability.

APC’s Hypocrisy and Double Standards

Perhaps the most galling aspect of this unfolding drama is APC’s shameless hypocrisy. When in opposition, APC politicians cried foul at the slightest provocation. They championed free speech, free movement, and fair elections. Yet now, in power, they have become the very monsters they once condemned.

APC accuses opposition parties of inciting unrest, but tolerates its own thugs terrorizing political opponents. It claims to uphold rule of law, yet governs through executive orders, illegal detentions, and manipulated court judgments. The irony is both tragic and revolting.

Even APC’s internal party structure is a caricature of democracy. Candidates are imposed, primaries are rigged, and dissent is criminalized. It is no wonder that a party so allergic to internal democracy would extend its tyranny to national governance.

A Dangerous Precedent

Let it be clear: what APC has done sets a precedent that should terrify every Nigerian. If one political party can deny access to a state today, what stops another from declaring entire regions as “off-limits” tomorrow? Today it’s an opposition figure; tomorrow it could be a journalist, a protester, a community leader, or even an ordinary citizen with a dissenting voice.

The implications are massive. It undermines national unity. It fosters regional tension. It invites violence. Most dangerously, it signals that political might, not the constitution, now governs Nigeria.

Compromised Institutions, Complicit Silence

Where are the institutions that should speak up? Where is the Nigerian Human Rights Commission? Where is INEC? Where is the National Assembly? Where are the religious leaders, the civil society organizations, the Nobel laureates and public intellectuals?

Their silence is deafening, and dangerous. In democratic societies, institutions are designed to act as guardrails against tyranny. But Nigeria’s have been captured, bullied, or bought. The judiciary, which should be the last line of defense, often bows to political pressure. The legislature acts like an extension of the executive, not a check on it.

When all arms of government fail to stand for justice, the collapse of democracy becomes not just possible, but inevitable.

Democracy Must Be Defended

What the APC is doing is not democracy. It is autocracy painted in green and white. And it must be rejected by all well-meaning Nigerians.

The people must rise, not with violence, but with voices, votes, and vigilance. Civil society must mobilize. The press must expose. International observers must take note. The coming elections must be more than a contest of ballots and they must be a referendum on tyranny.

The opposition must also rise above fear. They must confront the APC not just with outrage, but with strategy, solidarity, and strength. If the democratic space continues to shrink unchecked, Nigeria risks descending into the abyss of fascism.

In conclusion: Defining Our Democracy

If the APC insists on defining its own version of democracy; one built on exclusion, suppression, and brute force, then the Nigerian people must define a democracy that includes every voice, protects every right, and defends every citizen.

Let no one be deceived: this is not about a single state, a single politician, or a single party. It is about the soul of a nation. The battle for Nigeria’s democracy will not be won in silence or cynicism. It will be won by citizens who say enough is enough…who reject fear and demand freedom.

History will not be kind to the APC if it continues down this dark path. And neither will the people, who, when truly awakened, have the power to end any regime that forgets who truly holds sovereignty in a democracy: the people.

Sylvester is a distinguished political and prolific writer. He writes from Johannesburg