Wariboko: Same elite ruling Nigeria regardless of party

Nimi Wariboko, professor of social ethics at Boston University, says Nigeria’s political parties are different labels for the same ruling elite.

The Nigerian-born academic was reacting to a recent statement by former president Goodluck Jonathan, who said creating a one-party state in the country “through the backdoor” will lead to crisis.

Speaking during an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica, Wariboko, who also serves as director of the African Studies Centre at the Pardee School of Global Studies, said the idea of a well-designed one-party system is undemocratic.

He argued that no version of a one-party state can be aligned with democratic values.

The academic rejected Jonathan’s reference to Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, saying the former Tanzanian leader’s one-party rule was about consolidating personal power, not national stability.

“For anyone who is truly against a one-party state and supports pluralism, it doesn’t matter whether it was Julius Nyerere who did it or it is Tinubu who is doing it; it will be wrong,” Wariboko said.

“There’s no question of properly designing it. You cannot properly design your own oppression. I think that thought is a dangerous one.”

Wariboko said the ruling class in Nigeria has always leaned towards single-party dominance, regardless of political branding.

“Their knee-jerk reaction is always a one-party system,” he said.

“Whether they call it PDP or APC or NCNC or NPN, it’s just one ruling class of the elite that has been looting this country, and they just divided themselves into factions.”

Wariboko criticised President Bola Tinubu administration’s economic policies as the government approaches two years in power.

“Making policies that cause people to suffer without adequate arrangements for their well-being does not make you a good leader,” he said.

“The government is asking the people who are suffering from the economic hardship to be patient and that things will get better.

“But the politicians are not asked to be patient with the way they steal public funds.

“Any policy of government should care for the vulnerable in the society, but that’s not what the Tinubu government is doing.

“The government may have great economic thinkers, but Nigerians are worse off today than they were four years ago.”