Nigerian lawmakers and governance experts have pinpointed the systematic theft of elections over decades as the fundamental cause of the country's persistent leadership failures. This stark conclusion was reached during a public event in Abuja on Tuesday, December 18, 2025, marking the launch of a new book on leadership.
Electoral Fraud Severed Leader-Citizen Bond
At the unveiling of Leadership 365, a book by renowned scholar Prof. Linus Okorie, speakers delivered a unified critique of Nigeria's political trajectory. Leading the discourse, Senator Ikechukwu Obiora argued forcefully that the nation's inability to produce accountable leaders is a direct consequence of a corrupted electoral process.
"When leaders rig their way into office, they do not feel accountable to the people," Senator Obiora stated. He explained that elections are the primary mechanism through which citizens confer power, and once that process is compromised, governance collapses and corruption flourishes.
He dismissed narratives blaming Nigeria's troubles on the moral decay of the youth, countering that the conduct of the political elite has fostered a damaging culture of impunity. "The moral fabric of the younger generation has been bruised by what they see leaders do," he noted, adding that preaching integrity is futile when dishonesty is rewarded at the highest levels.
Beyond Technology: The Call for Institutional Reform
Senator Obiora traced the leadership deficit back to the early post-independence era, where entrenched electoral fraud blocked the rise of competent and legitimate leaders. This historical flaw, he said, has weakened state institutions, fueling insecurity, economic stagnation, and social division.
He also issued a caution against over-reliance on technology as a silver bullet for electoral malpractice. "No technology can rescue an election conducted by an institution that lacks independence," he asserted. His solution was a constitutional reform to establish a genuinely autonomous electoral management body, free from executive interference.
Emphasizing a human-centric approach, Obiora stressed that intentional investment in leadership development is more critical than any technological advancement. "Countries that have transformed did so by investing in people," he said. "The properly channelled human spirit is the most powerful force for national development."
Leadership as Service, Not Status
Echoing these sentiments, Senator Osita Izunasor defined true leadership as service rather than status. "Leadership is not conferred by title or office," Izunasor said. "It is service. Selfishness and leadership cannot coexist." He warned that Nigeria's challenges would persist unless leaders embrace ethics, selflessness, and a commitment to mentorship.
He called on experienced leaders to deliberately mentor younger Nigerians, identifying this as a crucial missing link in rebuilding public ethics and restoring trust in governance.
The author, Prof. Linus Okorie, presented Leadership 365 as a practical tool to combat declining reading culture and shallow engagement with leadership values. The book is structured into 365 short chapters, each offering a daily lesson on leadership competency for reflection and application.
"In one year, a reader acquires 365 leadership competencies," Okorie explained. He advocated for the book's adoption as a general studies text in secondary schools and universities, believing that early exposure to ethical leadership thinking can reshape national values and culture.
The event culminated in a clear, unified message: Nigeria's renewal will not come from mere rhetoric or technological fixes. It hinges on the foundational pillars of credible elections, strong institutions, and the daily practice of ethical, service-driven leadership.
"Until Nigeria fixes its elections and invests deliberately in leadership development," Senator Obiora concluded, "it cannot fix its future."
