Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi says the prevailing monetization of political process by some political actors is a threat to the nation’s democracy.
Mallam Abdullahi stated this while delivering a lecture, titled, Re-engaging the Media for Credible Democracy at the 2022 annual press week celebration of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kwara state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) held in Ilorin.
He said the politicians had nearly turned political process to a business transaction.
According to him, the development had brought out all manner of people canvassing for elective offices, adding that the practice was capable of making the electorate poorer and miserable in the long run.
Mallam Abdullahi explained that when politicians pay people to vote for them, the act had taken away the capability of the people to decide who govern them.
He urged the Journalists to remain focused and contribute their quota in deepening the nation’s democracy as enshrined in the Constitution.
In his address on the occasion, a legal luminary, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, represented by Professor Wahab Egbewole SAN, called for the restructuring of journalism practice ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Professor Fagbemi advised Journalists to strive to maintain impartiality, independence and balance in reporting events.
ALI MUHAMMAD RABIU