Proceeding from a longitudinal analysis of Nigeria s governorship history, The Route to Power in Nigeria shows how personalities have for the most part overwhelmed institutions, to the detriment of the country s democratic consolidation. While it is customary to hold leaders solely responsible for the predicament of Nigeria s governorship, M.J. Balogun argues they could not have accomplished the task entirely by themselves. Here we see how the "silent majority", individuals who exploit weaknesses in the system, and those who have lost hope of casting votes in free elections play important roles in subverting the democratic system in Nigeria.