As Nigerians search for new leaders

As elections are imminent in Nigeria, a good number of Nigerian citizens both home and abroad have started to analyse the quality of the prospective candidates for the 2023 presidential election. Quality of leadership is vital to any country, and it determines the direction the country will go during that particular tenure. Nigerians have continued […]

As elections are imminent in Nigeria, a good number of Nigerian citizens both home and abroad have started to analyse the quality of the prospective candidates for the 2023 presidential election. Quality of leadership is vital to any country, and it determines the direction the country will go during that particular tenure. Nigerians have continued their outcry for a president who would bring about an egalitarian society. 

There are innumerable qualities a good president should possess given the various expectations from the people. However, only a few of those characteristics will be examined. An honest leader: Nigeria needs a leader who is dependable and has integrity. The citizens entrust power into the hands of the president, and they should be able to trust that the person would be honest and accountable. The next president should be someone who is transparent and accountable and who would be able to shake off the shackles of nepotism, tribalism, and all other forms of bias. An honest leader would also help to fight the menace of corruption in the country. Corruption has become a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation.  

The next Nigerian leaders, at all levels of government, should be people who have the know-how to tackle Nigeria’s insecurity and poverty and other malaises facing our great country. One of the most germane functions of a leader is to ensure the security of lives and property. This has been an issue in Nigeria for a long time now and it has led to people losing hope about the future. Nigeria needs a leader who would tackle these security challenges and make the country safe for everyone to live in. Most importantly, Nigerian citizens deserve a leader that is fully committed to keeping the citizens safe. 

Both the ruling APC and opposition PDP should present credible candidates for all elected posts; especially for the presidency and state governors’ offices. This is needed to handle the growing insecurity in the country.  

Nigeria needs a leader who would be elected by all parts of the nation without regards to religion or ethnicity. 

Nigeria also needs a leader who is not a stranger to how international systems work. It is important to have leaders that would be dedicated to improving the image of Nigeria in world politics. It is now time to have a leader that would correct the reputation Nigeria has in the world and put the country in the world’s good books so that holders of Nigerian passports are respected.  

In a nutshell, Nigeria needs a president, state governors, and council chairmen who would launch the country into a new dispensation where the people can feel the impact of government. The set of leaders for our great country should be people who should make the slogan of having “a peaceful, prosperous and better Nigeria for all” a reality and not a mirage. 

Hurso Adam, PhD, wrote from Abuja