Former chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, and the Chief Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society Worldwide, Shaykh Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, yesterday, said the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria remains faulty, urging Nigerians to, as a matter of urgency, find a solution before the 2023 general elections.
Similarly, former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said Nigeria lacks the right leadership.
They said this during the pre-Ramadan lecture organised by the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni, UMA, with the theme: ‘Leadership Recruitment–The Missing Anchor in Our National Development’, held at the main auditorium of the institution, in Akoka, Lagos.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Jega noted that the dispositions of politicians, who dominate and control governance and political processes, have run the country beyond redemption.
His words: “It is not too late now to do so; we must pick up the gauntlet, as we are truly running out of time. We must contribute to the development of criteria to be used to mobilize citizens for good leadership recruitment for the 2023 general elections and beyond. This is a task that must be done.
“We must develop an overwhelming consensus that political leadership cannot remain the only job for which no qualification appears necessary except to have a lot of money, usually, stolen money. It is clear that for as long as the current pattern of leadership recruitment continues, our troubles will continue. It is for this reason that we must find a way to bring relevant criteria to bear on the selection of leadership. We have got to find a way of making character, competence and capacity to determine who leads.
“Nigerians belong to the category of the unfortunate citizens of the world in whose leadership, though in the context of a civil democratic dispensation, leaves much to be desired, in terms of a sustainable vision for our country’s development, selflessness in elective public leadership positions, competence and capacity to lead a country in the 21st century, and in terms of having an enlightened self-interest to galvanise and forge elite consensus on how to reposition, stabilise and develop the country on a sustainable basis.”
Nigeria lacks right leadership
Also speaking at the event, former Education Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili stated that the country produced leaders who are at peace with compromising public goods for personal interest and subverting the common goods.
She said: “A country can be said to move in the right direction if it carries out the right policies and adhers to the rule of law. Adherence to the rule of law means impunity cannot be tolerated.”
We need mechanism for accountability — Ahmad
On his part, the Chief Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society Worldwide, Shaykh AbdurRahman Ahmad called for regular assessment of appointed/elected leaders and ease out those not performing.
Ahmad, who said there should be a mechanism to make leaders accountable, called on religious leaders to be truthful as they also have great roles to play in fixing government.
