Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, declared on Monday that judges are no longer selected based on merit. The former Vice President made these remarks during a World Press Conference held at the National Secretariat of the PDP in Abuja. Atiku asserted that the appointment of judges is now influenced by politics and nepotism. He also expressed concern about the politicization of the appointment of electoral officials, citing the recent nomination of Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) as an example. Atiku highlighted the presence of card-carrying members of the ruling party and aides to politicians in the APC being appointed into INEC. According to him, when key institutions like the court and the electoral commission are entangled in political machinations, it becomes extremely challenging for democracy to flourish. As a stakeholder in the February 25 presidential election, Atiku emphasized his commitment, along with other concerned Nigerians, to ensure the full disclosure of the character deficiencies of the current political leadership. He also stressed the need for the democratic process to embrace technological advancements to enhance transparency.