Former Niger State governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu on Thursday warned that Nigeria could “pay dearly” if it drifts into a one-party system, saying political competition is essential for national stability.
Speaking at the 6th Zik’s Awards Lecture in Abuja, held to mark the 121st posthumous birthday of Nigeria’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aliyu said he arrived late at the event due to travel constraints after attending political meetings in Ibadan aimed at strengthening what he described as an alternative political platform for Nigerians.
“If we make the mistake of creating a one-party state in Nigeria, we will pay dearly for it,” he said. “It is important that people have an alternative voice, but that does not mean we must rebel if people choose to go one way.”
Aliyu criticised the practice of political defections, accusing some state governors of leaving their parties “through bribes or intimidation” despite constitutional provisions against such actions. He said internal reform within his political party had become necessary.
“We examined what had been happening in our party and, like surgeons, removed the cancer that had crippled it,” he said. “We hope that with the removal of that blockage, the party can now move forward and give Nigerians a genuine choice.”
Aliyu also paid tribute to Azikiwe, describing him as a “pragmatic nation-builder” whose compromises helped preserve Nigeria’s unity.
“Zik was a Nigerian even before Nigeria gained independence,” he said. “He stood at the forefront of our struggle and made compromises to ensure the country survived.”
He urged Nigerians to remain patriotic despite the country’s challenges. “We must love Nigeria. We did not choose to be born here, but God chose this land for us,” he said.
In his remarks, Chief Chineme Onyeke, Director-General of the Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe Annual Award Lecture, called on the federal government to allocate land in Abuja for a proposed national legacy project in Azikiwe’s honour. He said Nigeria must lead Africa at what he described as “a defining moment” for the continent.
Onyeke also announced plans for a Zik Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and said work had begun on establishing the Zik Centre for Leadership and African Studies in Abuja to promote research, dialogue and the preservation of Azikiwe’s legacy.