In an interview with Channels TV, on Monday , June 15, 2026, rather than a real democracy, Nigeria’s post-military administration is a civil arrangement, according to Professor Odenta Udenta, founding national secretary of the Alliance for Democracy.
Udenta also warned that the country is too focused on election procedures to understand what democracy is all about.
The lecturer made a distinction between legitimacy—which can only be established by performance and citizen welfare—and the legality of government—which may be conferred through elections—during an appearance on a morning program.
Professor Udenta argued that Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999 has prioritised form over substance, stating, “We are more interested in electoral processes than in the content of democracy,” adding that even credible elections can only deliver what he called “legalistic government,” meaning legality without legitimacy.
He made it clear that elections are pointless if government does not improve people’s lives in a meaningful way, especially in light of rising poverty, instability, and pessimism.
While acknowledging that civil rules had persisted without military intervention, Udenta argued that the military’s decision to withdraw was due to being “morally exhausted and institutionally weakened,” not to the success of democratic principles, in his reflection on Democracy Day on June 12.
That, he said, was in stark contrast to the June 12 movement’s “physical federalism,” “national restructuring,” and discussions of the meaning of living in a society that offers “promises and possibilities” to every person.
Concerning the future of the Nigerian Democratic Congress in 2027, Udenta voiced unwavering faith in the coalition between Senator Seriake Dickson’s party apparatus and the Obedient movement, which is led by Peter Obi.
In contrast to the Labour Party in 2023, he claimed, the NDC has “content” in the form of experienced political people, stating, “There’s a content to NDC as a political force.”
He went on to say that President Tinubu’s performance in 2027 would be far worse than in 2023, with the possibility that his vote total would go from over eight million to around five million.
When asked about the internal strife that followed the NDC primaries, Udenta defended the procedure, saying that claims of corruption were politically motivated and without merit.
He made it clear, “Nobody was corrupt, nobody took anybody’s money, people voluntarily contributed,” and revealed that he had seen the screening procedure in action.
Regarding his personal affiliation with the party, he assured that he is still strongly supported by the NDC, even though he does not hold official party membership.
He characterised the alliance between Dickson’s party machine and the Obedient movement as “the right package” for Nigeria as it approaches the crucial 2027 election cycle.
