Isaac Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, has alleged that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria, claiming that the judiciary, rather than the electorate, now determines who governs the country.
Speaking during an appearance on Prime Time on Arise Television on Wednesday, Fayose argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) no longer plays a decisive role in Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that election outcomes are ultimately settled in the courts.
According to him, the country’s democratic system has been replaced by what he described as “government of the court, by the court and for the court.”
“There is nothing like INEC or democracy in Nigeria. What we have now is government of the court, by the court and for the court,” he said.
Fayose noted that every presidential election in the past 12 years has ended up in court, arguing that judicial decisions have effectively determined the country’s leaders.
“In the last 12 years, all the presidents have been to court. So, it’s the judiciary that has been giving us presidents. We’re no longer practicing democracy,” he stated.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Fayose predicted that the outcome would again be decided through litigation rather than the ballot box.
“We’re looking to 2027, but it will still end up in court. We will have a coronation. We have dictators who are not in military uniforms,” he added.
He also accused the government of weakening opposition parties, alleging that both the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have been systematically undermined.
“Take a look at what they are doing to the opposition: the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC. They have taken them to square zero,” Fayose said.
His remarks come amid ongoing political debates over electoral integrity, judicial intervention in election disputes, and the state of Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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