Falana Faults Political Parties for Nigeria’s 65-Year Development Lag

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has attributed Nigeria’s lingering developmental challenges to the country’s political parties, saying they remain a key obstacle 65 years after independence.

Falana spoke on a special broadcast on Channels Television to mark the nation’s 65th independence anniversary, describing the “winner-takes-all” mentality of modern political parties as a major problem. He contrasted this with practices during the Second Republic, which he said were more inclusive.

“There must be proportional representation. Power cannot be concentrated in the hands of the ruling party alone; it must be shared with other constituencies,” he said.

The senior lawyer further warned that without clear ideological foundations, political parties will continue to foster corruption, impunity, and recklessness, undermining the country’s democracy and governance.

Falana’s observations come amid growing calls for political reforms to strengthen party structures, ensure accountability, and promote more inclusive governance in Nigeria.