Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has renewed calls for a fundamental reform of Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process, insisting that competence, integrity and accountability must be prioritised if democracy is to deliver meaningful development outcomes.
Obi spoke on Saturday at the public presentation of a report by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation titled “Strengthening the Nexus Between Democracy and Economic Growth in Nigeria.” The event brought together policymakers, development experts and governance stakeholders to assess the performance of Nigeria’s democratic system amid persistent socio-economic challenges.
In his remarks, Obi said the findings of the report reflected a widening gap between democratic governance and the lived realities of citizens, particularly in key sectors such as education, healthcare and poverty alleviation.
He noted that despite years of civilian rule, Nigeria continues to record poor development indicators, arguing that the system has not translated into measurable improvements in the welfare of citizens.
“The report reiterated the necessary truth that we have failed in critical areas of development—health, education, and pulling our people out of poverty,” he said.
Obi stressed that the country’s challenge is not the absence of democracy, but the quality of leadership emerging from it, adding that the selection process must be restructured to prioritise merit and capacity over other considerations.
He called for leadership anchored on “competence, capacity, compassion, character and commitment,” arguing that only such a framework can restore trust in governance and drive sustainable progress.
According to him, strengthening institutions remains central to reversing Nigeria’s development challenges, warning that weak systems will continue to produce weak outcomes regardless of policy intentions.
“We must rebuild trust in our institutions, restore discipline in leadership, and ensure that governance translates into measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
Obi further maintained that Nigeria still holds significant potential for transformation if deliberate reforms are undertaken and leadership choices are improved.
“A new Nigeria is possible,” he added.
The report launch featured presentations and panel discussions that examined the relationship between democratic practice and economic performance, with participants expressing concern over Nigeria’s slow development trajectory and calling for urgent institutional reforms.
Obi Calls for Overhaul of Leadership Selection at Jonathan Foundation Report Launch
