Falana Urges Nigeria to Tackle Poverty, Insecurity to Prevent Coups.
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Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana has warned that Nigeria cannot lead West Africa in combating coups without first addressing internal challenges such as poverty, insecurity, and political suppression. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana highlighted that socio-economic deprivation and shrinking political space are key drivers of unrest. He stressed that freedom of expression must be protected and that the Independent National Electoral Commission should facilitate the registration of new political parties to strengthen pluralism. “You cannot have a situation where the country is moving towards a one-party state, and you want to export democracy. Nigeria has to put its house in order,” he said. Falana’s comments follow a recent failed coup in Benin, during which soldiers briefly seized state television in Cotonou. The incident was quickly quashed with support from Nigerian troops and ECOWAS standby forces, but it underscored the fragility of regional stability. Falana argued that only by addressing domestic crises can Nigeria effectively lead efforts to stabilize West Africa.
| 2025-12-10 08:37:54