By Muhammad Mamman
Femi Falana accuses politicians in the Southwest of reckless spending, neglect of infrastructure, and deepening poverty.
Abeokuta, Nigeria — Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana has criticised Nigerian governors for what he described as reckless governance, warning that politics in the country has fallen into the hands of “criminals and touts” with little concern for the welfare of citizens.
Speaking on Monday at the 2025 National Conference of Egbe Amofin Oodua in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Falana faulted Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s decision to allocate ₦63bn ($42m) for the renovation of the Government House, calling it a “misuse of public funds” at a time of growing poverty and crumbling infrastructure across the Southwest.
> “During the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, politics was in the hands of intellectuals. Today, politics is in the hands of criminals and touts who are less concerned about the economic prosperity of the country,” Falana told participants.
‘Reckless’ priorities
Falana argued that funds earmarked for luxury projects could have been better spent on roads, education, and electricity. He pointed to the poor state of public schools in the region, noting that none of the Southwest states had accessed the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund in recent years.
“There are 18.3 million out-of-school children, including children from the Southwest. Our education is in bad shape. The roads are terrible. Infrastructurally, we are not there,” he said.
He also criticised the Lagos State House of Assembly for plans to spend another ₦20bn on new utility vehicles after already spending ₦45bn in the previous four years.
Poverty and rising insecurity
According to Falana, worsening poverty has created fertile ground for the rise of touts and area boys across the Southwest.
“Area boys have taken over the states, from Lagos to Abeokuta, including rural areas. Our children are no longer going to school. WAEC results show our states are now ranking among the lowest in the country,” he lamented.
Call for accountability
Falana urged lawyers to hold politicians accountable, particularly over the 2025 national budget, which he said included 11,000 constituency projects valued at ₦6.9trn.
“As lawyers, you must do more than watch. Ask lawmakers where the projects are cited. If they fail to answer satisfactorily, drag them to court,” he told colleagues.
The panel also featured senior legal practitioners including Wahab Shittu, Titilayo Akinlawon, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, and Kayode Akinremi.
Delivering the keynote address, former Attorney General of the Federation Akin Olujinmi called on the legal profession to continue to defend the rule of law and promote justice, fairness, and equity across the region.
