From Dispatch Room
Former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and ex-member of the House of Representatives, Mojeed Alabi, has warned that the growing monetisation of politics in Nigeria is threatening democratic integrity and preventing competent citizens from participating in governance.
Speaking on Frontline, a public affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, Alabi said the country’s political system has become excessively driven by money, creating barriers for individuals with leadership capacity but limited financial resources.
According to him, the current structure increasingly favours wealthy aspirants over candidates with competence, vision and integrity.
“As an insider, I must tell you that as of today, our politics is too monetized,” Alabi said, lamenting that many people with genuine intentions to serve are discouraged from seeking public office because of the huge financial demands involved.
The former lawmaker argued that the imbalance has created a situation where those with financial resources often lack the capacity to lead effectively, while many capable individuals are unable to compete because they do not possess the necessary funds.
He described the trend as a major distortion of democratic ideals, warning that politics is gradually becoming a pathway to wealth accumulation rather than a platform for public service.
Alabi expressed concern over the enormous sums reportedly spent by aspirants seeking elective offices. He revealed that he was recently shocked to learn that a young politician had allegedly spent more than ₦300 million pursuing a House of Representatives seat.
According to him, such levels of spending raise serious questions about the source of campaign funds and the motivations of those seeking public office.
He warned that candidates who invest huge amounts in elections may be more focused on recovering their expenditures after assuming office than on delivering effective governance.
“In my state in Osun today, the people we are seeing in front are not necessarily there because they are the best, but because they can gather the resources together,” he said.
Alabi also criticised the state of internal democracy within political parties, arguing that candidate selection processes have become heavily influenced by money rather than transparent electoral competition.
He lamented that party primaries are often affected by financial interests and political manoeuvring, making it difficult for credible candidates to emerge through fair competition.
The former Speaker called for urgent reforms to reduce the cost of political participation and strengthen internal democracy across all political parties.
He urged the President, political party leaders and members of the National Assembly to work together to make politics more accessible to citizens with ideas and leadership capacity rather than those with financial power alone.
Alabi Rejects Six-Year Single Tenure Proposal
Alabi also opposed proposals seeking to replace the current two-term system for presidents and governors with a single six-year tenure.
He argued that governance should be evaluated based on performance rather than arbitrary tenure arrangements.
According to him, the existing four-year renewable term provides citizens with an opportunity to assess elected officials and decide whether they deserve another mandate.
“If somebody is good and we see that he is doing well, why deny the people the opportunity to renew his mandate?” he asked.
Alabi maintained that a single-term arrangement could deny voters the chance to retain effective leaders while weakening accountability mechanisms.
He said the current constitutional arrangement should remain in place, provided elections are free, fair and credible enough to allow citizens to reward good performance and reject poor leadership.
— Newspot Nigeria
