A former minister of Sports and Youth Development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, has underscored the need for INEC to act fast to halt the extreme monetisation of the political process ahead of the 2023 elections.
Bolaji, who is the Kwara Central senatorial candidate of the PDP, said the issue if not checked, portends the biggest threat to the country’s democracy.
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He spoke in Ilorin on Wednesday 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).
The theme for the 2022 Press Week is “Re-engaging the Media for Credible Democratic Process”.
According to the former minister, politicians had turned the political process into a business venture, adding that the development had brought all manner of people canvassing for elective offices.
“The monetisation of politics is a big threat to the nation’s democracy and political processes. Many people lose their conscience when money is involved,” he said.
In his address, Chairman of the Correspondent 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.
