Is Consensus Candidacy Weakening Nigeria’s Democracy?

Political parties in Nigeria have increasingly turned to consensus candidacy to select their flagbearers. What began as a way to cut primary costs and avoid internal fights is now seen as concentrating power in the hands of a few. The 2026 Electoral Act requires written consent for any consensus arrangement or else mandates direct primaries. Yet disputes are erupting in states such as Ogun—where a senatorial caucus shut out Senator Gbenga Daniel—and Lagos, where calls for open primaries challenge Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat’s favoured status. Nasarawa has also seen tensions over a governor’s endorsement without wide consultation. Analysts warn that imposed consensus lacks transparency and alienates dissenting aspirants. They argue this practice risks producing leaders more accountable to party elites than to voters, eroding public confidence in elections. Many young Nigerians feel shut out by a system meant to foster unity. Observers say that unless consensus deals are managed openly and in line with the law, they may deepen divisions and undermine Nigeria’s democratic progress.

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