By Niyi Okiri

A pressure group, Legacy Transformation Initiative, LTI, has called on Nigerians to be wary of the unhealthy trend of money politics going on in the country, especially at this period of selection of party representatives.

The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Ibe Lawson, stated that it is high time monetary inducement of delegates at party primaries stops, adding that it negates the principles of true democracy, hence abetting corruption.

It also disclosed that some of the agreeable ways to get things done right is to deliberately, as a matter of necessity, re-engineer the nations’ leadership recruitment process.

They mentioned that an immediate attention should be focused on the need to demonetise the methods for delegate selection or nomination, through the adoption of stringent guidelines that emphasise on the strength of character, experience and leadership qualities of candidates.

Lawson said: “This will inform the choice of delegate in choosing party’s flag bearers. Only when this is entrenched as a party culture, can the youths and credible people aspire and eventually emerge to represent the masses.

“The APC has a choice of walking away from this inglorious path by adopting or voting a candidate whose persona and public records are directly at variance with the choice of the other parties.”