Falana Warns Against ₦30bn Spending in Party Primaries

Femi Falana, SAN, a human rights lawyer, spoke at the 8th Penpushing Annual Lecture in Abeokuta, condemning the commercialization of Nigeria's electoral process. He cited figures from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicating that governorship aspirants spend between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion to secure party tickets.

Falana addressed the theme “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability,” asserting that such spending transforms democracy into a plutocracy dominated by the highest bidder. He criticized consensus arrangements that deprive ordinary party members of their voting rights and warned that political exclusion undermines democratic institutions.

Falana stressed that genuine electoral integrity is unattainable without transparent internal party democracy and cautioned that the massive financial outlay for primaries could lead to post-election corruption. He urged authorities to prioritize reforms within political parties to restore trust in Nigeria’s democratic processes.