Nigerian rapper and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has clarified that he has never publicly endorsed any politician or political party, insisting that his involvement in political discourse has always been centred on promoting civic engagement rather than partisan support.
Speaking on the state of Nigeria’s democracy and the lessons from recent elections, the entertainer said his public interventions have consistently focused on encouraging citizens to participate in the electoral process and make their voices heard at the ballot box.
“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 get their intentions known,” Falz said.
The musician explained that his advocacy stems from a desire to strengthen democratic institutions by ensuring that elections are transparent, credible and reflective of the will of the people. According to him, active voter participation remains one of the most effective ways to deepen democracy in the country.
“What I clamor for is a free and fair democratic process, that people let their intentions be known, and that people go out to vote. These, I think, are very important to strengthen our democracy in this country,” he added.
Falz also revealed that his reluctance to openly back political candidates is informed by his perception that Nigeria’s political landscape has changed little over the years. He argued that the country continues to rotate the same set of political actors, making it difficult to place complete trust in any individual seeking public office.
“I’ve never actually stuck out my neck for any politician for obvious reasons. We’ve been going in cycles, and it just seems like almost the same crop of people we keep on reshuffling. At the end of the day, it’s tough to even sit anywhere and vouch for a Nigerian politician in 2026,” he said.
Despite his reservations, the rapper acknowledged that his position could change if he encountered a candidate in whom he had absolute confidence. Until then, he said, he would remain cautious about aligning himself with any political figure.
Beyond his personal stance, Falz pushed back against claims that votes do not count in Nigerian elections. He argued that the prevalence of vote-buying demonstrates the importance politicians attach to the electoral process.
“If it didn’t matter, there wouldn’t be vote-buying if it didn’t matter,” he said, urging Nigerian, to resist political apathy and remain engaged in shaping the country’s future.
The activist also renewed calls for the live electronic transmission of election results, describing it as a critical step towards improving transparency and public confidence in the electoral system. He questioned why the country had yet to fully implement real-time result transmission despite the substantial resources committed to organising elections.
Reflecting on the 2023 polls, Falz identified low voter turnout as one of the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that broader participation would make electoral manipulation far more difficult. “If there is an overwhelming majority, it would be incredibly difficult for them to cheat that,” he said.
