Consensus candidacy: When elite imposition overthrows the people’s democratic will, By Samson Itodo

In Nigeria, candidate nomination has traditionally been defined by two legally recognised modes of selection: direct and indirect primaries. However, in 2022, former President Muhammadu Buhari pressured the National Assembly to institutionalise consensus candidacy as a third mode in the Electoral Act. This conferred legality on a long-standing practice in which political parties adopt to nominate candidates, even at the expense of the will of party members. Consensus has always been used as a tool to eliminate competition, including candidates who do not enjoy the blessing of party hegemons.