Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on Nigerians to demand transparency from the Federal Government over the estimated ₦15tn Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Falana also urged political parties and candidates in Lagos State to unite against voter intimidation, electoral violence and ethnic discrimination ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He made the remarks at a public event in a video shared by News Central TV on Monday.
Questioning the reported changes to the highway’s route, the lawyer expressed concern that sections of the project were allegedly being redirected inland, raising questions about the utilisation of the funds allocated to it.
“The road, coastal road has now become land road, I’m sure you are aware,” Falana said.
He added, “After Ogun State, they now said they are going from Edo to go by land, because they can’t fund it. Again, we must now ask questions: What are the 15 trillion naira earmarked for that road?”
Falana stressed the need for citizens to hold public officials accountable, warning that inadequate public scrutiny could allow those in government to evade responsibility.
“And that is the only way we can get these people to be accountable,” he said.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a major infrastructure project of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, intended to link Lagos with Calabar, Cross River State, along Nigeria’s southern coastline. Its projected cost, route and funding have generated public debate.
Turning to the 2027 elections, Falana warned that violence could be used to prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots, particularly in Lagos State.
He urged candidates from different political parties to establish a united front to defend voters’ rights, regardless of their political affiliations or ethnic backgrounds.
“Let me now warn the candidates: Going by what happened during the last election, violence will be introduced. Many people will not be allowed to vote, unless you guys are ready to form, regardless of your political parties, to form a group that will defend the vote of everybody in Lagos,” he said.
The lawyer condemned attempts to deny Nigerians their electoral rights based on their appearance or perceived ethnic identity.
“We didn’t fight for this rickety democracy, that somebody will look at your face: ‘Oh, you should not vote in this country,’” he said.
Falana further cautioned politicians against using ethnic differences to intimidate voters, particularly those perceived as non-Yoruba in Lagos.
He said candidates who feared losing elections could resort to thuggery and violence rather than accept the democratic process.
“Those who cannot win elections, resort to violence, thuggery, where you come from, that you don’t look like a Yoruba man, therefore you must not vote. In Lagos, in Nigeria, that must not be allowed,” he said.
Falana called for collective action to safeguard the votes of all eligible Nigerians and protect democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
