Femi Falana, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has called for sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s electoral process, warning that the growing influence of money in politics and the abuse of consensus primaries are undermining the country’s democracy.
Falana made the remarks on Thursday while delivering a lecture at the 8th Penpushing Annual Lecture held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta. The event was themed, “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability.”
The senior lawyer argued that electoral integrity begins with transparent and credible party primaries, stressing that the widespread use of consensus arrangements often denies party members the right to freely choose their candidates.
“Please, let us stop deceiving ourselves. If you are going to talk about electoral integrity, you must start with the primaries,” he said.
Falana criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its use of consensus governorship primaries, particularly in Ogun State, describing the practice as one driven by “extortion” and “plutocracy.”
He also cautioned against policies that could weaken Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, warning that deregistering political parties or excluding them from elections could create political instability and undermine democratic institutions.
Expressing concern over the commercialisation of politics, Falana cited Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who alleged that some governorship aspirants spent between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion during party primaries.
According to Falana, such enormous campaign spending raises serious questions about the source of the funds and fuels corruption while eroding public confidence in the electoral process.
He urged the government and political parties to strengthen internal democracy, curb the influence of money in elections and implement reforms capable of restoring credibility to Nigeria’s democratic system.
Offering support to Penpushing Media, Falana pledged to collaborate with the organisation in promoting ethical journalism and democratic values in the country.
Responding, the founder of Penpushing Media, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, welcomed the offer of collaboration and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ethical journalism and the fight against fake news.
“Annually, we improve on this programme. This year’s edition is another success. It has always been like that from day one, and we will continue to improve on what we are doing.”
Kayode-Adedeji stressed that Penpushing Media would continue to uphold truth, accuracy and professionalism in its reportage, noting that the organisation would never sacrifice its integrity for sensationalism.
“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 added that the organisation’s credibility has earned it the confidence and support of respected personalities, including the former Deputy President of the World Bank and other distinguished Nigerians who have continued to identify with Penpushing Media over the years.
