Falz, who said this while featuring on Arise TV Prime Time programme, however, called on Nigerian youths to fight against the old system that has brought unimaginable rot to the country with their votes in the 2023 general elections.
A popular Nigerian musician and activist, Folarin Falana popularly known as Falz has described Nigerian politicians as "criminals" who have weaponised poverty in the country to personally subject the people to do their bidding during elections.
Falz, who said this while featuring on Arise TV Prime Time programme, however, called on Nigerian youths to fight against the old system that has brought unimaginable rot to the country with their votes in the 2023 general elections.
The son of popular human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), refused to disclose any presidential candidate he supports but said that he will do everything within his power to make sure that Nigerian youths vote for the right person who has the interest of the country at heart.
He noted that 2023 will be a very major year for the country and probably one of the most important years in the history of Nigeria.
According to him, it is at a very crucial point when everyone is angry and agitating, adding that nobody wants to go down the deep drain that Nigerians seem to be descending to presently.
"I can say for sure that the youths want a new dawn. For me, I'm doing everything within my power to get as many people as possible to participate in these elections. I think what has worked against us the most over the years is apathy. A lot of people have looked at politics as 'I don't really care' or 'my vote may not really count, what is the point?'
"But now more than ever, people see that gone are those days. People see that we want the same thing and that if we do not go ahead and participate in these elections, we cannot get the Nigeria that we all desire.
"It is clear that these criminal politicians have consistently weaponised poverty against us. They have consistently used poverty as a tool to keep the people down and that is what they keep to exploit every time and that is what comes back to haunt us," Falz said.
He lamented that the security challenges facing the country boil down to poverty and lack of education.
“These people predominantly in the Northeast, that is what is making them to stand up and commit all these gruesome crimes," he said.
"If they continue to weaponise poverty, there will always be people like that that will turn up that day and still sell their votes. But now more than ever, young people are more awake. People are looking at the long term. People are no longer as myopic as they were before. It has been going on for too long.
"How long are you going to keep on coming and giving people that N1,000, N2,000 or N5,000 on that day and that is what they have to put up with for four years or even eight years? Please, I beg you with all I have, do not sell your votes. That little amount of money you are collecting will not go anywhere. Be determined to protect your vote at all costs."
He noted that there is a movement that is going on which started since the #EndSARS. "If you like, call it revolution but it is not being done by any violent means but everyone wants to do everything within their power to change the status quo."
It is clear that these criminal politicians have consistently weaponized poverty -Falz
https://youtu.be/i1al5MZiTpQ