Political opportunists, populists, and a sizable portion of the populace in Nigeria view themselves as anti-political class. They present themselves as outsiders—aside from the politically and ethically reprehensible political elite. But during my clear periods, following the country’s 2023 presidential election, and in light of recent political events where the problem of the one-party system is starting to eat away at our political spaces, in small groups, and on TV interviews, I am finding it hard to believe that Nigeria currently has a political class.
The term “political class” in comparative political science refers to the relatively small group of people who are very politically conscious and involved and who make up a major portion of the national leadership. Gaetano Mosca, an Italian political theorist, created this idea. He looked at how the ruling class reproduces and renews itself, how politicians behave, and the various organisational structures that have been created to hold onto power. For instance, he believed that subject-matter experts, supported by permanent staff, could take control of elected legislatures and turn into a political class.
The term “political class” is not new to us; it describes a group of people who have significant political influence and hold consequential political power within a political system, primarily as a result of their professional involvement in politics. Examples of these individuals include influential bureaucrats, elected officials, and party leaders. Max Weber went on to say that many in the political elite pursue careers “off politics.”
The phrase “political class,” which is currently being used disparagingly to refer to all Nigerian politicians, is being used indiscriminately. I’m not sure if there are enough studies to support the idea that this class does, in fact, exist in a profoundly visible way or if it’s merely a mechanism for the general public to express democratic disparities between the general public and the politicians.
There are many who question whether the regular vote box gazing every four years is truly worth it because, of course, the gap between the governors and the governed appears to be growing. There are about 100 million people in Nigeria that are economically and politically disillusioned. These individuals are united by a shared antipathy for the widely held notion of political class, which can be nebulous and devolve into ‘us against them’ fanaticism.
Since there is no precise distinction between those who belong to this class in politics and those who do not, I do not fully embrace the idea of “political class” due to its ambiguity. First of all, people who hold political office are not primarily chosen from a select class or privileged group. Because Nigeria is a democracy, candidates from various walks of life run for office, and the victorious candidates assume posts in the government. Based on their success in government or the preferences of the electorate, these elections, which essentially take place every four years, produce a variety of politicians. While it is true that some people rig their way into office and hold office for multiple terms, this does not equate to political class.
Second, as a close observer of our political evolution, I noticed that many newcomers were elected in the general elections of 2023, and a significant portion of them were from the Labour Party, LP, a fringe party. Despite never belonging to the aforementioned political elite, those elected under this party are now in positions of authority and represent their constituents. Are we to believe that people are automatically assimilated into the so-called political elite as soon as they are elected to office?
Our political behaviour, in my opinion, is out of step with the times. Let’s just say that when we (all of us) are elected into power, our initial protectionist attitude is self-interest, even though this will be the subject of a future post. We successfully erect high walls and rampants against the people who elected us. We embrace the benefits of our positions and throw out the electoral tricks we employed to mislead the public. Governors, senators, and members of the House of Assembly who were elected in 2023 on the platform of “a New Nigeria is Possible,” disregarding the political culture of the ruling party, began voluntarily defecting to the same ruling party that they had denounced during campaigns. Where, therefore, is the political elite they ran against?
Elempe Dele wrote from Okpe, Akoko-Edo, Edo State.
