2027: They haven’t earned the right to return — Falz on Tinubu government

Nigerian rapper and activist Folarin "Falz" Falana has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu's administration, asserting it has not earned the mandate to return to office in the 2027 general elections. Speaking on Arise News, Falz conveyed that the average Nigerian is not experiencing the positive impact of the government's reforms.

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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.

"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," Falz stated. He also pointed to the persistent insecurity across the country, noting that many Nigerians feel unsafe and cannot travel freely due to the risks on the roads.

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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.

Falz argued that the current administration has fallen short even of the benchmarks it set for itself. He recalled President Tinubu's pre-election promise of ensuring 24-hour electricity, stating, "Even by the standard that he set for himself, he has failed." The rapper concluded that based on these unmet expectations and the public's current struggles, the government has forfeited its claim to a second term.

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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.

Addressing his involvement in the 2023 elections, Falz clarified that he did not endorse any particular candidate or party. His efforts, he explained, were focused on encouraging citizens to participate in the democratic process and make their voices heard. "I’ve only actively encouraged people to go out to vote and let their intentions be known," he said. He expressed caution in publicly backing politicians, citing a recurring cycle of the same individuals in power, making it difficult to genuinely vouch for any Nigerian politician.

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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.