Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has cautioned against the disqualification or deregistration of political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such actions could undermine Nigeria’s democracy and trigger a political crisis.

Falana gave the warning while delivering a lecture titled, “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Pathway to Good Governance and Public Accountability,” at an event organised by a media organisation in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He expressed concern over what he described as growing threats to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, arguing that excluding political parties from participating in elections could have serious consequences for democratic governance.

According to him, political exclusion has historically created opportunities for anti-democratic forces to weaken democratic institutions across Africa.

Falana called for urgent electoral reforms aimed at strengthening internal party democracy, reducing the excessive monetisation of politics, and safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic values.

He also criticised the enormous sums reportedly spent during political party primaries, insisting that credible elections must begin with transparent and democratic candidate selection processes.

“Please, let us stop deceiving ourselves. If you are going to talk about electoral integrity, you must start with the primaries,” he said.

The senior advocate maintained that although the Electoral Act provides for direct primaries and consensus arrangements, the principles of democracy require greater participation by party members in choosing candidates.

Falana further decried the high cost of party primaries, referencing comments by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, that some governorship aspirants allegedly spent between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion during primary elections.

“If you are spending between ₦20 billion and ₦30 billion on a primary election, how much are you going to spend in the real election?” he queried.

He argued that such levels of spending are difficult to justify through legitimate means, warning that they encourage corruption and erode public confidence in the electoral process.

Falana reiterated the need for reforms to strengthen internal party democracy, curb excessive campaign spending, and preserve Nigeria’s democratic integrity.

Other participants at the event also called for a review of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, advocating a governance system that better reflects the country’s realities, aspirations and developmental needs.