In the Nigerian political space, consensus is a process that allows a political party to select a candidate after an agreement is reached among aspirants and political stakeholders, rather than going through direct or indirect primaries. This process is recognized under Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2022.

Consensus is considered a way to promote unity within political parties, reducing the expenses of conducting primary elections, and eliminating the rancour that typically arises from primary elections. Primaries, just as general elections in Nigeria are always tense, expensive, and at times cause division among party members; by simply agreeing on a single candidate, parties believe they can avoid unnecessary rivalry and focus on winning the elections.

However, in recent times, consensus has been perceived to be a tool for political imposition, suppression, and preservation of political hegemony. Critics say the current practice of consensus undermines true democratic participation, especially when aspirants are told to step down for candidates selected by political elites, despite being unpopular, and unacceptable to majority of the members of the party.

Consensus, as has been recently practised by major political parties in the country, vests humongous powers on few elites within the political parties to decide who and who gets the party’s tickets for various elective position. This empowerment of few powerful stakeholders undermines the spirit and letters of democracy, being a system of government that prioritizes the wishes and aspirations of the masses.

Consensus has sparked many concerns; one of these concerns is how many Nigerians see it as a tool used in weakening democracy within political parties. Often, political candidates emerge because they are backed by key stakeholders in society, and not because of their popularity among party members. This has continued to raise concerns that ordinary party members are gradually losing their voices within the parties.

Another concern is how it discourages politicians who have demonstrated leadership qualities from participating in elections. Some political aspirants who may possess good ideas and knowledge are mostly forced to step down after influential party leaders step in to negotiate their preferred candidates. This act limits healthy competition, which is an important part of democracy, where people are given the freedom to contest and allow voters to decide who should lead them.

While there are many criticisms against consensus, its supporters insist that it is advantageous in helping to reduce conflicts, promoting unity, and preventing long-term internal battles. Political parties in Nigeria have indeed experienced several internal crises arising from disputed primaries and controversial candidate selection processes, but consensus arrangements do not solve the problems that transparent primary elections may ever cause.

Parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All-Progressives Congress (APC) have, at different times, faced divisions, defections, and court cases linked to disagreements over how candidates emerged. Supporters of consensus argue that the process can help reduce such conflicts by promoting unity and preventing prolonged internal battles ahead of general elections.

Some politicians also see consensus as a practical and effective way of saving resources, especially in a country where huge resources are spent on elections. Parties spend less, believe they can save money, reduce tension, and divert the focus to the general elections.

However, many Nigerians question whether political parties going through consensus allow aspirants to willingly agree on one candidate. The Electoral Act states clearly that all aspirants must willingly agree before a consensus candidate can emerge.

In most cases, most aspirants withdraw not because they agree with the process, but because of pressure from party leaders, the fear of losing political opportunities in the future, or the fear of disqualification as we have seen in some political parties in recent times.

The growing process of consensus has also raised wider questions about the future of democracy in Nigeria. It is widely believed that democracy works best when the election process is free and fair. The selection of candidates behind closed doors undermines public trust. With this, citizens start to feel disconnected from the democratic process when they know that decisions are being made by some powerful individuals.

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Nevertheless, consensus itself may not be entirely negative, if it is conducted properly on the will of all aspirants. In many democratic societies, agreements and negotiations are part of politics. The problem begins when the process is unfair, manipulated, or used to silence opposition within political parties. In the real sense, consensus can help political parties stay united and organized if conducted democratically.

In Nigeria today, Consensus is one of the most controversial political practices. While it may help reduce conflict and strengthen party unity, it also raises concerns about candidate imposition and the weakening of internal democracy. For consensus to truly serve the interests of democracy in Nigeria, it must be transparent, fair, and based on the free agreement of all party members involved.