Falana slams money politics, demands end to consensus candidates

By Adejoke Adeleye/Ogun State

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called for sweeping electoral reforms, warning that the increasing influence of money politics and the imposition of consensus candidates by political parties pose serious threats to Nigeria’s democracy.

Falana made the remarks on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the 8th annual lecture of PenPushing Media held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.

Falana in his lecture themed, “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability.”

The senior lawyer stressed that electoral integrity must begin with transparent and credible party primaries, insisting that political party members should be allowed to freely choose their candidates rather than having aspirants imposed through consensus arrangements.

He criticised the growing use of consensus candidacy, particularly within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, describing the practice as a setback to internal democracy that encourages plutocracy and political manipulation.

While acknowledging that the Electoral Act permits both direct and consensus primaries, Falana argued that democratic principles are better served when candidates emerge through votes cast by party members.

Falana also raised concerns over the increasing monetisation of Nigeria’s electoral process, citing reports that governorship aspirants allegedly spent between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion during recent party primaries.

Referring to comments credited to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, he questioned the legitimacy of such huge campaign expenditures.

“If you are spending between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion on a primary election, how much are you going to spend in the actual election?” Falana asked.

He maintained that such levels of spending could hardly come from legitimate sources, warning that they fuel corruption, undermine electoral credibility and weaken public confidence in democratic governance.

Falana further cautioned against attempts to weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy through the deregistration of political parties or the exclusion of opposition groups from the political process.

Drawing lessons from developments in other African countries, he warned that suppressing opposition voices often creates conditions capable of destabilising democratic institutions.

He urged the government, political parties and other stakeholders to embark on comprehensive electoral reforms aimed at strengthening internal party democracy, reducing the influence of money in politics and promoting transparency, accountability and credible elections.

Meanwhile, founder of PenPushing Media, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ethical journalism and the fight against fake news.

He said the annual lecture has continued to grow in quality and relevance since its inception, describing the 2026 edition as another milestone in the organisation’s efforts to promote responsible journalism.

Kayode-Adedeji also welcomed Falana’s offer of collaboration with PenPushing Media, expressing confidence that the partnership would further strengthen the platform’s commitment to balanced and credible reporting.

He reiterated that the organisation would never compromise its reputation by spreading false information, noting that its dedication to truth and professionalism has earned it the trust and support of several distinguished Nigerians.

“We have made it a policy that we will never spread fake news. We are known for truth, and we will maintain that position. We will not deviate from it,” he said.