Popular Nigerian rapper and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has denied claims that he backed Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, insisting that he has never endorsed any politician or political party.
Falz, who spoke during an interview with ARISE News, said his involvement in the election was strictly to encourage Nigerians to vote and demand a credible democratic process.
“Just a point of correction: I’ve never, in 2023 or at any point, openly supported any politician or political party,” he said.
“I’ve only actively encouraged people to go out to vote and get their intentions known. What I clamour for is a free and fair democratic process.”
The rapper explained that his refusal to endorse a candidate was deliberate, saying Nigeria appeared trapped in a cycle of recycling the same political figures.
“We’ve been going in cycles, and it just seems like almost the same crop of people we keep reshuffling,” Falz said.
“It’s tough to even sit anywhere and vouch for a Nigerian politician in 2026. If I see someone that I feel 100 per cent is the one, maybe I would. But as it stands, I’m trying to be cautious.”
His political neutrality, however, did not stop him from delivering a harsh assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and its prospects of securing another term.
Falz said the government had not done enough to ask Nigerians for more patience, arguing that citizens were still struggling with inflation, poverty, insecurity and the rising cost of living.
“They might say all those things, but we can’t actually see it. We can’t feel it,” he said.
“If you ask the average person on the streets what they’re feeling, they’re feeling inflation, the rising cost of living, difficulties and poverty. People are suffering.
“It’s insecurity that we’re feeling. We’re not safe; we can’t go outside. That’s what we’re feeling.”
Falz Advices Tinubu’s Administration
Falz further argued that the administration had fallen short of the standards it set before assuming office.
He referred to what he described as Tinubu’s pre-election promise that Nigerians should not re-elect him if he failed to deliver uninterrupted electricity.
“I think even by their own standards, they’ve failed,” Falz said.
“The president himself, prior to coming into office, said that if he didn’t ensure that we had 24-hour power, we shouldn’t vote him in for a second term.
“So, even by the standard that he set for himself, he has failed. I think they have not earned the right to come back into office.”
Despite his verdict on the administration, Falz warned Nigerians not to allow frustration with the government to push them away from the electoral process.
He argued that politicians’ desperation to influence elections and buy votes proved that individual votes mattered.
“If our votes didn’t matter, these people wouldn’t be making all this noise. There wouldn’t be people paying for them. There wouldn’t be vote-buying if it didn’t matter,” he said.
Falz maintained that the belief that election results had already been determined only benefited politicians who wanted citizens to stay away from polling units.
He said massive voter turnout would make it considerably more difficult for election results to be manipulated.
“If there’s still somebody saying today, in 2026, ‘My vote doesn’t count, and that is why I’m not going to vote,’ I think that is just an excuse, and a weak one at that,” he said.
“If your vote didn’t count, they wouldn’t pay ₦10,000, ₦15,000 or ₦20,000 for it. There wouldn’t be vote-buying, voter intimidation or all the violent acts they use to stop people from voting.
“Every single one of our votes counts. We need an overwhelming majority. That is the most viable way to avoid cheating in these elections.”
Falz also urged eligible Nigerians who had yet to register to begin the process through the Independent National Electoral Commission’s online portal.
Beyond increased voter participation, he called for the live electronic transmission of results to improve transparency and restore confidence in the electoral system.
Falz questioned why poor internet connectivity remained an obstacle despite the resources committed to conducting elections.
“If we are serious about delivering free and fair elections, I see no reason why we can’t transmit results in real time as they are happening,” he said.
“With the budget INEC is using to run these elections, I don’t know what that money is going into if we can’t make sure that every single thing is on point.”
The rapper said his campaign for greater political participation was an extension of the activism expressed through his music.
According to him, protest music can inspire people, shape public thinking and encourage citizens to become more involved in demanding change.
“Someone has to do the heavy lifting. These issues need to be spoken about,” he said.
“If everyone else keeps running away from them, I will continue to run towards them because we need to face these issues squarely. We can’t continue sweeping the dirt under the carpet.”
Falz dismissed suggestions that activism had overshadowed his entertainment career, saying he was proud to use his influence to shape society positively while continuing to produce music and appear in films.
He added that despite Nigeria’s challenges, he remained optimistic about the country’s future.
“I still have hope. I’m still optimistic. I refuse to embrace pessimism,” he said.
“I will continue to believe that we can get to that place we hope to reach, and I will continue to encourage people to do everything within their power to ensure that we get there.”
