Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has warned of possible electoral violence in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging political candidates to unite against voter intimidation, thuggery and ethnic discrimination.
He also challenged Nigerians to demand greater transparency from the Federal Government over the estimated ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Falana made the remarks at a public event in a video shared by News Central TV on Monday.
He expressed concern about reported changes to the highway’s route, its financing and the government’s management of funds allocated to the project.
“The road, coastal road has now become land road, I’m sure you are aware,” Falana said.
The senior lawyer questioned the rationale behind the reported changes, particularly plans to divert sections of the highway inland instead of following the coastline.
“What I’m saying is that, after Ogun State, they now said they are going from Edo to go by land, because they can’t fund it,” he said.
Falana demanded an explanation for the project’s estimated cost and the utilisation of the funds earmarked for its construction.
“Again, we must now ask questions: What are the 15 trillion naira earmarked for that road?” he asked.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a major infrastructure project under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, designed to connect Lagos with Calabar, Cross River State, along Nigeria’s southern corridor.
However, the project has attracted public debate over its cost, route, financing arrangements and implementation.
Falana maintained that Nigerians must scrutinise government projects and hold public officials accountable for their spending decisions.
“And that is the only way we can get these people to be accountable,” he said.
Beyond the highway controversy, Falana warned that violence and voter suppression could threaten the credibility of the 2027 elections in Lagos State.
He recalled concerns arising from the previous election and urged candidates across political parties to work together to protect the voting rights of all eligible residents.
“Let me now warn the candidates: Going by what happened during the last election, violence will be introduced,” he said.
Falana argued that political differences should not prevent candidates from cooperating to safeguard the electoral process.
He called for a united effort to defend voters against intimidation and ensure that everyone eligible to vote can participate freely.
The lawyer also condemned attempts to deny Nigerians their voting rights because of their ethnicity, physical appearance or perceived place of origin.
“We didn’t fight for this rickety democracy, that somebody will look at your face: ‘Oh, you should not vote in this country,’” he said.
Falana specifically warned against the intimidation of residents of Lagos who might be perceived as not belonging to the Yoruba ethnic group.
He stressed that citizenship and eligibility to vote should not be determined by ethnic identity or political affiliation.
According to him, politicians who cannot secure electoral victory through legitimate means may resort to violence and thuggery.
“And I want to beg you, if you are ready to defend the vote of everybody, and it’s very important, because those who cannot win elections, resort to violence, thuggery, where you come from, that you don’t look like a Yoruba man, therefore you must not vote. In Lagos, in Nigeria, that must not be allowed,” he said.
His warning highlights concerns about the use of ethnic divisions to intimidate voters and restrict participation in the democratic process.
Falana’s remarks place government accountability and electoral protection at the centre of public debate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While questions surrounding the coastal highway concern public expenditure and project implementation, his comments on the elections focus on the need to prevent violence, discrimination and voter suppression.
Political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and civil society organisations are expected to play important roles in protecting the electoral process.
As preparations for the elections continue, Falana urged Nigerians to demand transparency from public officials and defend the democratic rights of every eligible voter, regardless of ethnicity or political affiliation
