LAGOS—Activists for Good Governance, AGG, has faulted the use of money, religion, and other primordial sentiments to choose candidates for elections in Nigeria.

At a briefing in Lagos, the leader of the group, Declan Ihekaire, said: “In the past our democracy threw up different characters of leaders, in most cases some of these leaders had emerged through exercises that were undemocratic; many aspirants had been hand-picked rookies, some had been god-sons of self-serving god-fathers, and unfortunately leaders with questionable characters were foisted on us.

“We maintain that the process that produces candidates must be transparent and democratic. AGG is definitely against delegates’ conferences that produce candidates. We want card carrying members of the parties to be fully involved in the selection process.”

Among other steps for ensuring compliance with their demands, Ihekaire said they would collaborate with civil society organisations to sensitise the electorate on the need for emergence of credible candidates in 2015 through grassroots primaries.