Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has warned against the disqualification of political parties in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, saying if not checked, it portends danger for the country.
He spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while delivering a lecture titled “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Pathway to Good Governance and Public Accountability” during an event organised by a media organisation in the state capital.
Falana expressed concern over what he described as growing threats to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, warning that the deregistration of political parties and attempts to prevent others from participating in elections could trigger a political crisis.
According to him, political exclusion has historically encouraged undemocratic forces to undermine democratic institutions across Africa.
Falana called for urgent reforms to strengthen internal party democracy, curb excessive monetisation of politics, and preserve the country’s democratic integrity and values.
He bemoaned the huge amount of money spent by political parties during the last primaries held across the country, and said a credible election must begin with transparent and democratic party primaries.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria argued that genuine electoral integrity must begin with transparent and democratic party primaries, rather than consensus arrangements, which, according to him, deny party members the opportunity to choose their candidates freely.
“Please, let us stop deceiving ourselves. If you are going to talk about electoral integrity, you must start with the primaries,” he said.
Falana maintained that the Electoral Act clearly provides for the conduct of party primaries through direct or consensus methods but stressed that the spirit of democracy demands greater participation by party members.
The legal practitioner further condemned the huge sums allegedly spent during party primaries, citing recent remarks by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, that some governorship aspirants spent between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion during the primary elections.
“If you are spending between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion on a primary election, how much are you going to spend in the real election?” Falana queried.
He alleged that such enormous campaign expenditures could hardly have come from legitimate sources, insisting that the practice promotes corruption and weakens Nigeria’s democratic process.
Falana therefore called for urgent reforms to strengthen internal party democracy, curb excessive monetisation of politics, and preserve the country’s democratic integrity.
Other participants at the event, however, called for the re-examination of the current constitutional democracy being practiced in the country to give way to a more homegrown system that takes into consideration people’s aspirations and development.
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