The price of cowardice: Nigeria’s governors have set us on the road to one-man rule

Nigeria’s democracy is alarmingly collapsing due to state governors’ cowardice, enabling authoritarian rule. The Rivers crisis exemplifies this, with the governor’s appeasement setting a dangerous precedent. Historically, the NGF could counter presidential overreach, but it’s now neutered. This ineffectiveness, alongside a weak legislature and judiciary, undermines state autonomy, erodes democratic norms, and questions state legitimacy. Governors’ fear of the centre, a divided opposition, and limited accountability mechanisms accelerate this decline, risking an elective dictatorship unless governors urgently reclaim their constitutional roles.