Nigeria’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2027. But if current trends continue, the real contest may already be over, further worsening the instability in Nigeria. Across three fronts, electoral law, political defections, and the weaponisation of the judiciary, the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy are being steadily eroded. What remains may still resemble democracy on the surface: periodic elections, party rallies, and ballot papers. But beneath that façade, the conditions for genuine political competition are being dismantled. This may be a recipe for disaster.
