Ex-minister Decries Monetisation Of Electoral Process
Former minister of sports and youth development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, has described the extreme monetisation of political process as witnessed in the recent political parties' primaries as the biggest threat to the nation's democracy.
This is just as Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) urged journalists to eschew religious and ethnic sentiments in their reportage ahead of the 2023 general election.
Abdullahi and Fagbemi spoke at a lecture, titled: “Re-engaging the Media for Credible Democracy”, organised as part of activities marking the 2022 press week of the Correspondents' Chapel of the Kwara State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin, yesterday.
While Abdullahi lamented that politicians had nearly turned Nigeria's political process to a business transaction, Fagbemi who was represented by Prof Wahab Egbewole (SAN), noted that ownership structure was hindering journalists' efforts at reporting events as it is.
The former minister, a former editor and currently Kwara central senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the monetisation of the electoral process is denying the electorate the opportunity to elect the candidates of their choice.
Abdullahi noted that this in turn denies the nation the emergence of credible leaders and good governance and consequently, further makes the citizens poorer.
“When politicians pay people to vote for them, the act has taken away the capability of the people to decide who governs them. And I think it is the same as soldiers using guns to be in power and politicians using dollars to be in power,” Abdullahi added.
“Journalists should be able to play constitutional roles as enshrined in the nation's constitution. That is, media practitioners should be able to hold the government accountable for adequate provision of education, job opportunity, security, corrupt practices and abuse of power,” Abdullahi posited.
On his part, Fagbemi called for the restructuring of journalism practice ahead of the 2023 elections, adding that: “Journalists are regarded as watchdogs, hence their role in the electioneering process can't be underestimated. We need to call attention to what journalists should be doing to set an agenda for 2023.
”There is a need for restructuring journalism practice in Nigeria because you must report what is seen and not what the news media owners want to be reported.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Basit Olatunji Senior Ibrahim Suleiman Adebayo Mohammed Kamaldeen Islamic Development Bank Ibrahim Taiwo Road Saliu Tunde Bello Iyeru Grammar School Shaaba Lafiagi Funmilayo Mohammed IF-K Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa Oro Grammar School Old Students Association Okin Biscuit Dan Iya Of Ilorin Magaji Nda Okanlawon Musa Gbemisola Oguntimehin Awoye Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari Kulende-UITH Otunba Taiwo Joseph John Olobayo Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede Okin High School Modibo Kawu Adedipe Abdulquowiyu Olododo Bello Abubakar Suraj Tunji Oyewale Umar Bayo Abdulwahab Elelu Ohoro Of Shao Ike Ekweremadu NIPR Bond Zara Umar Saheed Alakoso Mohammed Danjuma African Democratic Congress Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir Apado Alabi Lawal Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria Offa Metropolitan Club KWACOBPA Ijagbo National Union Of Road Transport Workers Bashir Adigun Aminat Ahmed Abdulrazaq Sanni Alliance For Democracy Mubarak Oladosu Yakubu Danladi Kawu Baraje Ayobola Ipinlaiye KWIRS Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum JSSCE Mahmud Ajeigbe Oye Tinuoye Sadiq Umar Coronavirus Abdulazeez Uthman Yahaya Jibril Usman Hamidu Olowo Maimunat Oniyangi Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez Bolakale Kawu Agaka Abdulrazaq Akorede Folajimi Aleshinloye Mujtabah Bature Sheu Ndanusa Usman Kola Ologbondiyan Saadu Yusuf Umar Gunu AIT Ilorin Olatunji Moronfoye

