Ex-minister Decries Monetisation Of Electoral Process

Date: 2022-06-30

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.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Amos Justus Sayo     General Hospital, Offa     Bolakale Kawu     Okedare     Bolaji Nagode     Olaoye B. Felix     Bluenile Associates     Okin Group     Zubair Folorunsho Erubu     Bond     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     Abraysports FC     Oloriegbe     Abubakar Aliagan     Yusuf Zulu-Gambari     Olatunde Michaels     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Babajide Ajayi     Waheed Ibrahim     New Nigeria People’s Party     Durosinlohun Kawu     CCEPE     Rasaq Jimoh     Nnazua     Shuaibu Yaman     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     FOMWAN     Balogun Ajikobi     3MTT     Roheemat Hammed     Agbarere     Aisha Ahman Pategi     Omar Bolaji Gambari     Adedayo Yusuf Abdulkareem     Toyin Sanusi     Olatunji Abdulmumeen     Rex Olawoye     Garba Dogo     Jumoke F. Ajao     Eleja     Oloyede     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Hussein Olokooba     Afonja Descendants Union     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Aishat Mohammed Lawal     Gbugbu     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Dan Iya     Suleman Abubakar     IEDPU     Yakubu Gobir     Otuka     Matthew Babaoye     Daud Adeshola     Sayomi     Ibrahim Oniye     Bayo Onimago     Odo-Owa     Saliu Oluwole     Yunus Oniboki     Oloye     Rueben Parejo     Ramadan     Yakubu Shaaba     Kumbi Titiloye     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Kayode Ibrahim     Dan Masanin     Habeeb Abdullahi Al-Ilory     IDPU     Saliu Ajibola Ajia     Aishat Sulu-Gambari     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Agboola Abdulraheem     Binta Abubakar-Mora    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Alaro     Kola Adesina     Elelu     Mustapha Olanipekun     AIT Ilorin     Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar     Kisira     Mutawali Of Ilorin     PharmAccess Foundation     Sa\'adu Salahu     Jalala     Emir Of Lafiagi     Aliyu U. Tilde     Iyiola Oyedepo     Kawu     Moji Makanjuola     Folashade Omoniyi     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Ilorin Like-Minds     Ishola Abdullahi     Principal Private Secretary     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Oba Of Jebba     Saidu Isa     Vasolar     Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Shade Omoniyi     AbdulRauf Keji     Sanitation Exercise     N-Power     Elections     Monsurat Omotosho     Fatai Garuba Labaka     PPS     Post Utme     Alabe     Kazeem Oladepo     Tafida Of Kaiama     Olomu Of Omu-Aran     Smart School     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi     Bashir Badawi     AbdulRahman Saad     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     Olohungbebe     SAPZ Project     Olusin Of Ijara Isin     NULGE     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Oko     Suwa-Arabs     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Facebook     Saliu Alamoyo     Falokun-Oja     Nnazua     Ganmo Electricity Sub-Station     Ilorin East     Durosinlohun Atiku     Ayo Salami     Afonja     Kale Ayo     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     High Court     Musibau Akanji     Gambari     National Party Of Nigeria     Arik     COEASU     Islamiya Abdulraheem     Ahman Patigi     Osuwa     Law School Scholarship     Charcoal     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development