Nigerian Leaders Clueless, Selfish, Visionless — Jega

FORMER Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) Attahiru Jega says that Nigeria has been afflicted with the
misfortune of having greedy and visionless leaders who are
essentially clueless in matters of governance.

According to a report, Jega said this on Saturday while
delivering a lecture in honour of the First Civilian Governor of
Lagos Lateef Jakande.

Describing Jakande as an undoubtedly selfless leader, the former
INEC boss stated that Nigerian leaders’ lack of selflessness and
vision had led to recklessness in the handling of governmental
affairs.

“One of the major challenges of good democratic governance in
Nigeria is that of having selfless, patriotic, inclusive and
effective leadership in order to drive Nigeria national affairs and
the development of the political economy towards the goal of
democratic governance,” he said.

Jega also noted that getting things right in Nigeria would
require selflessness and vision on the part of the leaders.

Part of the lecture posted on his Twitter handle on Monday was
met with mixed reactions by Nigerians on the social media.

While some Twitter users described Jega’s statements as
hypocritical and accused him of being the ‘architect of our doom,’
other Nigerians stated that he was entitled to his sentiments and
described elections under him as largely free and fair.

Jega was chairman of INEC in 2015, during which he presided over
the general elections that ushered the Muhammadu Buhari-led
government into power. He had previously conducted the 2011
election that brought in Goodluck Jonathan.

FORMER Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) Attahiru Jega says that Nigeria has been afflicted with the
misfortune of having greedy and visionless leaders who are
essentially clueless in matters of governance.

According to a report, Jega said this on Saturday while
delivering a lecture in honour of the First Civilian Governor of
Lagos Lateef Jakande.

Describing Jakande as an undoubtedly selfless leader, the former
INEC boss stated that Nigerian leaders’ lack of selflessness and
vision had led to recklessness in the handling of governmental
affairs.

“One of the major challenges of good democratic governance in
Nigeria is that of having selfless, patriotic, inclusive and
effective leadership in order to drive Nigeria national affairs and
the development of the political economy towards the goal of
democratic governance,” he said.

Jega also noted that getting things right in Nigeria would
require selflessness and vision on the part of the leaders.

Part of the lecture posted on his Twitter handle on Monday was
met with mixed reactions by Nigerians on the social media.

While some Twitter users described Jega’s statements as
hypocritical and accused him of being the ‘architect of our doom,’
other Nigerians stated that he was entitled to his sentiments and
described elections under him as largely free and fair.

Jega was chairman of INEC in 2015, during which he presided over
the general elections that ushered the Muhammadu Buhari-led
government into power. He had previously conducted the 2011
election that brought in Goodluck Jonathan.