Falana Expresses Fears Over 2023 Polls, Says Federal Govt Has Abandoned Anti-graft War

Human Rights Lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has lamented growing insecurity in the country, saying it may affect smooth conduct of the 2023 election.

Falana also posited that events in recent times have shown that the Federal Government has abandoned its fight against corruption.

He expressed fears that the activities of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements may work against the success of the polls cause serious constitutional crisis if not tackled ahead of time.

Falana who spoke with journalists in his country home of Ilawe-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti South West local government area of Ekiti state at the weekend during the 10th coronation anniversary of Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi said, “Since many parts of the country have been taken over by terrorists it is difficult to talk of having credible elections next year. There are some states and several local governments that have been completely overrun by the terrorists.

“There is no way you can hold elections in such states and local governments. We are working towards a crisis which is going to lead to inconclusive elections if registered voters cannot exercise their franchise due to insecurity and negligence of the government. Whoever is declared winner will have problems because those who lose elections will insist that you must go and conduct elections in the areas where they are popular but which must have been taken over by the terrorists.”

On the alleged abandonment of the anti-corruption crusade given the state pardon granted former governors of Plateau state, Joshua Dariye and Taraba state, Jolly Nyame who were jailed for stealing their various state funds Falana noted that the action of the government has further legitimised corruption and mismanagement of public funds in the country.

According to him, “As far as the government is concerned, the pardon is just an extension of the policy of abandonment of the anti- corruption crusade. The government used the anti-corruption crusade to deceive Nigerians and as soon as the government got established, little by little , the whole anti-corruption collapsed.’