A group, Organisation for Global Youths Peace Empowerment and Development Initiative (OGYPEDI) has urged political parties in Nigeria to abolish the method of having delegates during primary elections to ensure the emergence of right candidates.

Briefing newsmen in Warri as part of its voter enlightenment campaign, National Coordinator of the non-partisan group, Mr.Japhet Omene, said delegates make the emergence of quality candidates impossible.

His words:”The usage of delegates during party primaries is undemocratic and unsuitable for Nigeria’s development as unpopular candidates always emerge at the end of the election. They emerge due to the corruption that always mar the exercise. The just concluded party primaries in the country is a justification for this statement. We all saw that almost all the candidates who won primaries spent millions of Naira to bribe delegates.

It is pathetic to see candidates with questionable records and  discrepancies in their certificates, emerge as party flag bearers when there were other aspirants who were better suited for the positions being contested for. We can’t continue with this system as a nation. Therefore, if Nigeria must change for good,  delegates can’t be collecting bribes to produce candidates at the expense of millions of Nigerians who are clamouring for real change.”

Speaking further, Omene advised political parties to seek alternatives of producing their candidates.

“Candidates can emerge through their reputations, recommendations, track records and educational qualifications, financial among others,” he added.