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Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has described the extreme monetisation of politics and political processes by some political actors in the country as the biggest threat to the nation’s democracy.
Abdullahi expressed this today while delivering a lecture at the 2022 Annual Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kwara state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin.
The former minister said that politicians had turned the political process into a business transaction in the country.
Abdullahi, who said that the development had brought out all manner of people canvassing for elective offices, added that the trend, if not curbed is capable of making the electorate poorer and miserable in the long run.
“When politicians pay people to vote for them, the act has taken away the capability of the people to decide who governs them.
“It is the same as soldiers using guns to be in power, and politicians using the power of dollars to get to power.
“The monetisation of politics is a big threat to the nation’s democracy and political processes. Many people lost their conscience when money is involved.
The Senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kwara Central Senatorial District, however, called on stakeholders in the country, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act fast to halt money politics.
He stressed that the quality of journalism in the country was a reflection of the nation’s democracy, adding that journalism should be able to deepen the nation’s democracy.
“Journalists should be able to play their constitutional roles as enshrined in the nation’s Constitution.
“Media practitioners should be able to hold government accountable for the inadequate provision of education, job opportunity, security, corrupt practices, and abuse of power,” he said.
According to him, Journalists were expected to act as watchdogs, and as well help set the agenda for the 2023 general elections.
Also speaking at the event, a legal luminary, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, who was represented by Professor Wahab Egbewole SAN, called for restructuring of journalism practice ahead of the 2023 elections.
”Journalists are regarded as watchdogs, hence their role in electioneering process can’t be underestimated. We need to call attention to what journalists should be doing for setting agenda for 2023.
”There is need for restructuring of journalism practice in Nigeria because you must report what is seen and not what the news maker wants to be reported.
”We also need to leverage on technology because as journalists, you are working well but other users of social media platforms are bastardizing the ethics of the profession.
Professor Fagbemi also said that it was also important that journalists separate themselves from premodial sentiments beclouding the country like ethnicity and religion.
”Journalists also need to strive to maintain impartiality, independence and balance”, Fagbemi said.
In his address of welcome, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Alhaji Hakeem Garba, urged journalists in the country to help preserve and sustain the nation’s democracy by carrying out their duties effectively and unbiased.
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