Democracy Under Threat In Nigeria – Femi Falana

In a keynote speech in Benin City, Edo State, renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana warned that “plutocracy has replaced democracy in Nigeria,” leading to a significant loss of faith in the democratic process among the people.

During the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) 2023 Law Week Programme, Falana called on the organization to urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address several systemic issues.

Among the problems he highlighted were the late arrival of INEC officials and voting materials at polling stations, malfunctioning voting machines, and issues with transmitting results.

In his address, Falana noted a concerning statistic: “Out of the 93 million voters that were registered; only 22 million voted in the presidential election.”

This stark disparity underscores the widespread disengagement from the political process, he suggested.

The paper reads, “INEC must also address insecurity at some polling units, including violent attacks on voters and officials, voter intimidation, snatching and destruction of voting materials, significant cases of vote-buying, and limited access facilities for persons living with disabilities.

“The Benin branch of the NBA should prevail on the national body of lawyers to convoke a national summit to review the 2023 general elections as soon as the curtain is drawn on the election petitions by the various election petition tribunals, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

“The NBA should ensure that the summit is attended by the representatives of all relevant stakeholders. At the end of the programme, the NBA should collaborate with the judiciary committees of both houses of the national assembly in drafting amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Act to institutionalise credible elections in Nigeria.

“All mass-based organisations must mobilise the Nigerian people to take their political destiny into their hands by participating in the democratic process.”