Renowned public affairs analyst Mahdi Shehu has voiced serious concerns over the trajectory of Nigeria’s political system, describing it as a commercial enterprise devoid of ideological direction.
Speaking during a press interview on Tuesday, Shehu lamented that politics in Nigeria has been reduced to a profit-making venture, with politicians treating public office as a personal business.
“There is no real hope in the current political structure,” he said. “Politics has become a business, not a service to the people.”
Shehu criticized the lack of ideological difference among political parties in the country, asserting that Nigerian politicians are largely motivated by power rather than principles.
“There is only one party in Nigeria — the ruling party,” he said. “Once elections are over, politicians defect en masse to the party in power. We saw this when PDP lost and many of its members rushed to join APC.”
He urged citizens not to be misled by party labels, insisting that the parties are essentially indistinguishable.
“These politicians come from the same background and operate with the same mindset. The people are merely pawns in their game.”
While urging Nigerians to participate in the electoral process, Shehu also issued a warning: “Go out and vote, do your part, and leave the rest to God. But if you refuse to vote and later complain about leadership, it will only come back to haunt you.”
