Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has taken aim at President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Mr Falana, who spoke yesterday on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’, accused Mr Tinubu of implementing economic policies that disproportionately benefit the elite while intensifying hardship for the general population.
He noted that although senior members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are hailing Mr Tinubu’s two years in office as a success—everyday Nigerians continue to grapple with a worsening cost-of-living crisis.
“For top government officials, things are going smoothly. One of them even claimed just last week that the situation is improving,” Mr Falana said.
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“Naturally, the wealthy are seeing improvements, but for the majority—ordinary citizens—life is becoming increasingly difficult due to the harsh economic realities.”
Since taking office in May 2023, Mr Tinubu has rolled out economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates.
These measures, Mr Falana argued, have triggered sharp increases in energy prices, transport costs, and food inflation, severely impacting the average Nigerian.
While acknowledging that the president has urged citizens to remain patient, with assurances that these reforms will eventually yield prosperity, he maintained that the current reality for most people is one of hunger and despair.
“To be fair to the President, he has on several occasions asked Nigerians to be patient and assured them that the reforms will eventually benefit everyone. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.
“But even the government admits that there is a crisis, people are hungry, and many can no longer afford to keep their children in school due to the rigid enforcement of IMF- and World Bank-backed neoliberal policies,” he stated.
Mr Falana advised the government to discard these foreign economic models and focus on crafting policies aligned with Nigeria’s unique socio-economic challenges.
He also condemned the decision to devalue the naira, citing its significant impact on living costs.
“My stance has always been clear—the government must break away from the influence of Bretton Woods institutions and put faith in Nigerian-led solutions. If a country that depends heavily on imports devalues its currency, it will inevitably face a steep surge in prices—and that’s exactly what we’re experiencing. The devaluation has further eroded public confidence,” he said.
Calling on citizens to play a more proactive role in governance, Mr Falana urged Nigerians to scrutinise public budgets and monitor how funds are spent.
“The President presents the national budget to the National Assembly, just as governors submit theirs to state legislatures. Nigerians must study these documents, examine the line items, and track how those funds are used,” he urged.
He also criticised the early commencement of political activities, calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce rules on campaign timing and remind politicians to prioritise governance.
“I’ve observed increasing political manoeuvring. INEC should step in and declare that electioneering hasn’t been formally allowed yet. Elected officials should focus on governance for now,” he said.
His remarks come as momentum builds within the APC in favour of Mr Tinubu seeking a second term in the 2027 general elections.
