Nigerian rapper and activist, Folarin “Falz” Falana, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the government has not earned the right to return to office ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Falz made the comment during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, in which he discussed the performance of the current administration, electoral reforms, and the importance of voter participation.
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When asked whether the administration had earned Nigerians’ patience with its reforms, Falz said it had not, arguing that many Nigerians had yet to feel their impact.
“I think not. They might say all those things, but we can’t actually see. We can’t feel it. Nobody can feel it. If you ask the average person out there on the streets what they’re feeling, they’re feeling the inflation. They’re feeling the rising cost of living. They’re feeling the difficulties. They’re feeling poverty. People are suffering,” he said.
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Falz also criticised the country’s security situation, saying many Nigerians continue to feel unsafe.
“It’s insecurity that we’re feeling. We’re not safe. We can’t go outside. I can’t say I want to take a trip down to Ekiti now because I don’t know what’s going to happen on the road,” he added.
The rapper said that the administration had failed even by the standards set by President Tinubu before assuming office.
“The president, by himself, before coming into office, said in his own words that if he didn’t ensure that we had 24-hour power, that we shouldn’t vote him in for the second term. Even by the standard that he set for himself, he has failed. I think they have not earned the right to come back into office.”
2023 elections
Falz also clarified that he did not openly endorse any political candidate or party during the 2023 general elections.
He said his involvement during the election period was to encourage Nigerians to participate in the democratic process rather than support a particular politician.
“Just a point of correction, I’ve never, in 2023 or at any point, openly supported any politician or political party. I’ve only actively encouraged people to go out to vote and let their intentions be known,” he said.
He added, “What I clamour for is a free and fair democratic process. That people let their intentions be known and that people go out to vote.”
Explaining why he avoids publicly backing politicians, Falz said he was cautious because he believed the country had continued to recycle the same set of politicians.
“We’ve been going in cycles, and it just seems like almost the same crop of people. We keep on reshuffling, and at the end of the day, it’s tough even to sit anywhere and vouch for a Nigerian politician,” he said.
Why votes matter
Falz, who is working with the Go Nigeria Civic Initiative alongside Atedo Peterside, Bishop Matthew Kukah and Aisha Yesufu, also urged young Nigerians to participate in elections.
READ ALSO: ‘Nobody begged you to take up this role’ — Falz faults Remi Tinubu’s appeal to artistes
Responding to claims that elections are already rigged and that votes do not matter, he argued that politicians’ actions show that votes remain important.
“If our votes didn’t matter, these people wouldn’t be making all these moves. If our votes didn’t matter, there wouldn’t be people paying for them. There wouldn’t be vote buying if it didn’t matter,” he said.
He added that an overwhelming voter turnout could make it difficult to manipulate the outcome of the elections.
Falz also called for reforms in the electoral process, particularly the real-time transmission of election results, saying such measures would improve confidence in elections.
Despite his criticism of the government, Falz said he remains optimistic about Nigeria’s future and will continue to encourage civic participation.
“I refuse to embrace pessimism. I refuse to be let down. I will continue to believe that we can get to that place that we hope that we get to.”
