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A former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adamu Garba, has warned African leaders against the dangers of seeking absolute power, describing it as a recurring mistake on the continent with severe historical consequences.
Garba said the concentration of unchecked authority often leads not only to corruption but to the eventual collapse of the political legacy and personal safety of those who wield it.
Posting on X, he said regardless of how just or fair a leader may believe their rule to be, absolute authority inevitably attracts punishment.
He noted that history has repeatedly demonstrated the consequences of excessive power, arguing that many African leaders have failed to learn from past examples.
Garba referenced the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, stating that Gaddafi’s prolonged grip on power ultimately led to devastating outcomes for his family.
He described reports surrounding Gaddafi’s surviving son, Saif al-Islam, as tragic but not unexpected, given what he termed the historical pattern associated with absolute rule.
The former presidential aspirant urged leaders to focus on delivering public service and to preserve public institutions and resources for the benefit of citizens, rather than personal control.
Garba asserted that no leader in history has escaped the consequences associated with the abuse of absolute power.
He wrote: “One of the biggest mistakes, often repeated by leaders in Africa, is the constant quest for absolute power. Absolute power doesn’t just corrupt absolutely, it further exposes the dependence of such a leader in the total and utter destruction after the passing of such a leader.
“It doesn’t matter how just or fair you performed, it’s just one of the punishments of absolute authority.
“This is repeated in history time and time again, yet most African leaders failed to learn from history.
“Muammar Gaddafi, whatever opinion you may have about him, his absoluteness in quest for power has consumed almost all his children.
“His most important surviving son, Saif Al Islam has been assassinated today. What a tragedy but not unexpected, if history is to be reckoned with.
“Leaders should deliver public service as required of them and leave whatever belongs to the public in the public domain for the benefit of the people.
“No one has ever escaped the trappings and consequences of absolute power.”
Muammar Gaddafi: Absolute power biggest mistake of African leaders – Adamu Garba
