Nigeria, May 19 -- Nigeria's political class now touts "consensus candidacy" with renewed assurance. Party leaders, governors, and godfathers frame it as proof of democratic progress, a tool to avoid divisive primaries, mend party fractures, and foster unity before elections. Surface reasoning seems sensible; Nigeria's primaries are costly, bitter, violent, and prone to delegate-buying. Yet beneath harmonious language hides a troubling reality. Consensus often masquerades as consent; power is quietly imposed rather than freely granted. Persuasion yields to pressure; agreement bows to obedience. Internal democracy is not refined; it is sidestepped.

This distinction matters. Nigeria's democracy is fragile at the general election stage. The...