Akatsuki are bunch of bums who are used by someone who they don't even know exists, are only there for either money or saving their own butt from other ninja clans, most of them don't even know it was Madara and Tobi behind it.
Warlords are all better characters, aside from Marineford war, they are hardly being used like that. They have their own islands, and were summoned to fight only strongest amongst strongest who are Emperors.
Most of the Warlords, like Doflamingo and Teach outsmarted the government in many occasions, Doflamingo and (probably Teach too) knows who is behind the Government.
So don't compare these bums to Warlords.