Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on religious bodies across Nigeria to abandon neutrality and play an active role in protecting the country’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Falana made the appeal at the 25th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, with the theme, ‘Democracy at the Crossroads: Electoral Credibility, Judicial Integrity and the Future of Nigeria’, held at the MUSON Centre in Lagos.

According to the senior lawyer, religious institutions can no longer afford to remain indifferent at a time when government policies and decisions directly affect the welfare, rights and living conditions of their members and other Nigerians.

He argued that churches and other religious organisations should extend their concerns beyond spiritual matters and pay greater attention to the management of public resources at the federal, state and local government levels.

Falana also urged religious bodies to examine government budgets and closely monitor the execution of projects and programmes financed with public funds.

He said greater involvement by religious institutions in public affairs would help promote accountability and improve the quality of governance in the country.

“Democracy should not be reduced to the conduct of elections. Accountable leadership, effective public service, citizens’ welfare and security were also essential to a functioning democratic society.

“Religious bodies should not sit on the fence but get up and save Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.