The former governor of Anambra State and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in 2019 election, Mr Peter Obi, has said that debates on leadership position predicated on ethnicity and religious backgrounds, will only promote incompetence and inefficiency.
This situation, Obi continued, will eventually lead to failure of government.
On the other hand, debates that highlight competence and capacity, will promote efficiency and lead to growth politically and economically of the country.
Obi spoke in Agulu, after his meeting with the Envoy from British High Commission, led by Head of the Political Desk, Aneesah Islam on Monday.
He warned that continued recruitment of people for leadership positions, on any basis other than competence, will only continue to produce a crop of incompetent leaders who are not capable of developing the nation.
He said he supported zoning of some political offices to ensure fairness and equity, arguing that each zone has competent people capable of developing the nation.
He blamed the dwindling economic fortune of the nation on continued failure of leadership in the country.
He said: “Insecurity and criminality have worsened under this administration. Nigeria is more divided today than it has ever been. Mediocrity is now celebrated above meritocracy.
“The standard of living is worsening every day, with soaring inflation and poverty rate. All these are happening because we have leaders who gained access to power through ethnic and religious sentiments rather than competence and past records of success”.
Obi also condemned what he described as ‘transactional politics’ in Nigeria, which manifests more during elections.
According to him, the undesirable culture of vote buying and other electoral vices that play out during elections must be stamped out in future elections, if true democracy will find its place in the country.
He urged the people to always shop for leaders with proven track records of success in private and public lives, who understand what it takes to develop the nation#
