Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised the current political class for lacking a clear ideology in governance, accusing politicians of failing to maximise Nigeria’s independence.
Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer, made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s special broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary.
He noted that Britain granted Nigeria what he described as “flag independence” in 1960, leaving the colonial structures largely untouched. Falana argued that today’s politicians pursue power as an end in itself rather than as a means to serve the people.
“In the First Republic, and even in the Second, political parties were founded on ideology. They understood their objectives and competed based on principles,” he said. “Political parties were not seen merely as tools for seizing power. They sought power with a sense of responsibility. By 1960, what did the British colonial regime hand over to Nigeria? It was what I call flag independence. The colonial framework remained mostly intact, and the first generation of politicians failed to make the most of it before the system collapsed.”
Falana also recalled how the Murtala Mohammed regime replaced the parliamentary system with an American-style presidential model. “Chief Rotimi Williams chaired the Constitution Review Committee, and the late Professor Ben Nwabueze, among others, served on the constitution drafting committee. Forty-seven of them agreed to adopt the American system without the political culture that underpins it,” he added.