Femi Falana Critiques Nigeria's Electoral Integrity Issues

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, addressed the lack of electoral integrity in Nigeria during his keynote speech at the 8th Annual Anniversary Lecture of Penpushing Media in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He identified irregularities in political party primaries, vote-buying, and misuse of state resources as significant factors undermining the electoral process.

Falana emphasized that Nigeria's struggle for credible elections and genuine democracy hinges on transparent primaries and adherence to electoral laws. He criticized the practice of imposing candidates under the guise of consensus and noted that many political parties charge exorbitant nomination fees, preventing genuine participation.

Falana also condemned the normalization of vote-buying, citing that some governorship aspirants reportedly spent between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion to secure party tickets. He stated that such expenditures raise concerns about the legitimacy of funding sources and highlighted the need for accountability in the electoral process.