From Democracy Fighter to Strongman? Tinubu’s Rule and the Ghost of Abacha

Friedrich Nietzsche warned that gazing into an abyss risks being gazed back. This paradox now resonates in Nigeria’s politics as critics draw parallels between President Tinubu’s governing style and General Abacha’s dictatorship. Tinubu once led the NADECO pro-democracy movement against military repression. He condemned arbitrary arrests, power concentration, and restrictions on free speech. Today, some see similar tactics in the consolidation of executive authority and large-scale defections to the ruling party. Observers point to pressure on dissent, concerns over press freedom, and doubts about institutional independence. Yet Nigeria still holds elections, courts remain active, and opposition voices exist. The question is whether democratic instincts can withstand the lure of control. The real risk is subtle. Democracies don’t fall when votes stop. They erode when loyalty outweighs accountability and institutions lose their neutrality. Nigeria’s challenge is to remember lessons from the Abacha era and keep those methods from reappearing under a new name.

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