A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Segun Showunmi, has called on Nigerians to reject money politics if the country is to progress and realise its potential as one of the world’s most endowed nations.
Showunmi, who is the National Coordinator of the National Opposition Movement Coalition (NOMC), codenamed “The Alternative,” made the appeal during a town hall meeting in Kano on Thursday.
The former PDP governorship aspirant in Ogun State argued that bad governance continues to prevail in the country because politicians have effectively bought over the democratic process with ill-gotten wealth, planning to sustain the trend.
He urged voters to reject politicians who deceive them with food items in exchange for their votes.
“Today’s politicians want to use their money to steal democracy from us and keep us poor. To avoid this in the next election, we are warning you ahead of time against their antics by using the platform ‘The Alternative.’
“Don’t shortchange yourself by selling your vote. Stop trading your destiny for a plate of cornmeal, Indomie, salt, etc. They are using their money to take democracy away from you. So we are here to prevent that,” Showunmi said.
He explained that the creation of “The Alternative” was not only to prevent the rise of money politics but also to counter efforts to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. The platform seeks to educate the electorate on making informed choices during the upcoming elections.
“The people must choose wisely, and this must be ensured as the conversation continues. We must bridge the gap between the government and the governed. Citizens must not hate themselves or continue to feel underserved. We must do all we can to ensure that a quality candidate emerges in 2027 from among the people,” he said.
A former governorship aspirant in Kano State, Mr. Jafaar Bello, also spoke at the meeting, stressing that leadership should be about competence, not religion, tribe, or ethnicity.
“We have been deceived many times based on religion, but this shallow thinking must stop. People can hardly feed and pay bills. This is not the type of country our forefathers fought for,” Bello said.
The National Coordinator of Atiku Abubakar’s Forum, Saidu Bello, expressed support for the initiative, urging the country’s youth to study the country’s history to make informed decisions when electing future leaders.
Mrs. Tariere Fiebai, a member of “The Alternative,” prayed for a better Nigeria for future generations.