The All Progressives Congress (APC) now commands a record number of governorships and state legislatures, a shift that marks the deepest concentration of power since the return to civilian rule in 1999. Since the party's rise in 2015, and more sharply after the 2023 elections, defections have largely flowed toward the APC, weakening opposition structures at both national and sub‑national levels. Historically, regional godfathers such as the late Lamidi Adedibu, who helped impeach Oyo governor Rashidi Ladoja, and incidents like the 2003 abduction of Chris Ngige in Anambra, illustrated a plural power system where no single actor could dominate. Today, governors not only control budgets but also influence security deployments, local media, traditional networks and the party machinery that decides tickets and appointments. The presidency's appointive authority is increasingly aligned with partisan strategy, with key electoral, judicial and anti‑corruption bodies perceived as extensions of the ruling party. Informal norms such as zoning, north‑south rotation and religious balancing are being ignored, exemplified by the emergence of a Muslim‑Muslim presidential ticket and the willingness to set aside the traditional North–South power swap. These trends suggest that the 2027 elections will be contested more on ethnic and religious lines than on policy platforms, raising the stakes for Nigeria's democratic stability.
The APC's sweeping control of state executives and legislatures has turned the party into a de‑facto national machine, eroding the checks that once kept any single political force in check.
By sidelining long‑standing practices such as zoning and the north‑south rotation, the ruling party is replacing elite bargaining with raw identity mobilisation. The article notes that defections since 2015, especially after the 2023 polls, have bolstered the APC while draining opposition resources, and that the presidency's appointment power is now viewed through a partisan lens.
For ordinary Nigerians, this concentration means fewer genuine choices at the ballot box and a higher likelihood that patronage will dictate access to services, security and development projects. Voters in opposition‑leaning states may find their concerns filtered through a party‑centric hierarchy rather than addressed locally.
The pattern mirrors a broader drift in Nigerian politics toward single‑party dominance, echoing earlier periods when power was dispersed among regional godfathers and military figures. If unchecked, the 2027 elections could cement a system where identity politics, rather than policy debate, drives the nation's political future.
