Benin Coup: Nigeria Must Fix Its Democracy Before Stabilising Other Countries – Falana

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has warned that Nigeria cannot credibly intervene in stabilising neighbouring countries while its democratic institutions remain weak.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday night, Falana said President Bola Tinubu’s deployment of troops to the Benin Republic following a coup attempt raises critical questions about Nigeria’s governance.

According to him, although Nigeria has a long history of intervening in regional crises, the country must first ensure that its own democracy was functional, pluralistic and institutionally protected before attempting to restore order elsewhere.

“If you are going to help another country to stabilise, you must ensure that democracy in your own country is institutionalised,” Falana stressed, insisting that Nigeria cannot export peace while battling internal democratic decline.

Falana warned that constitutional manipulations, abuse of state power and the weakening of opposition parties pose significant risks to Nigeria’s stability, risks similar to those fuelling coups in other West African states.

is“You cannot have a situation where the country is moving exorbitantly and becoming a one-party state. You want to exploit democracy as it were. There are problems.

“So Nigeria has to put its house in order. By allowing political pluralism, you must ensure that the opposition can credibly contest elections, enabling them. This is the problem in Africa today.”

Falana added that Nigeria’s effort to stabilise the region must go beyond military deployment, urging the federal government to prioritise genuine political reforms.

“If we want political stability in Nigeria, we must address the crisis of the economy, tackle poverty, reduce illiteracy and curb insecurity of lives and property,” he said.

He further emphasised that freedom of expression must be protected and that citizens should not be criminalised for criticising those in power.

“There must be freedom of expression. Opponents must not be silenced. INEC must open the political space and allow ideological political parties to be registered to challenge the status quo.

“Right now, INEC is not prepared to open the political space,” he added.

Falana maintained that until Nigeria strengthens its institutions, respects political pluralism, and addresses widespread socioeconomic challenges, its regional peace efforts will lack moral authority.