CHOOSING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR IMO STATE GOVERNANCE In the process of choosing the right candidates for important political positions, it is right to pay serious attention to people’s background and track record of performance in previous engagements. There is a saying that experience is the best teacher and you cannot give what you do not have. Age and experience are two things you cannot buy. We are also told that practice makes perfect. It is also about having the appropriate and right track record of experience and superior performance for the job. We must check on this. Governorship is an executive position and those who seek to occupy it should have tested executive powers at one level or the other, even if it is at the private sector level, but public sector experience would be most desirable. Sound training, with higher education qualifications, is very desirable. Both the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prescribe the minimum educational qualifications for eligibility to contest for Governorship and other executive and legislative positions in Nigeria. As one of the most educationally advanced states in Nigeria, Imo should seek to have a higher minimum than the constitutional provisions. A wealthy experience, backed by superior qualifications, all things being equal, enhances leadership performance. It is no longer right to be fielding leaders whose educational backgrounds are doubtful. That is the beginning of dishonesty. In deed, one of the earliest preparations for successful political leadership is a sound and relevant educational background. We may want to borrow a leaf from other geo-political zones in Nigeria. A background check on Governors from the South-West of Nigeria shows that predominantly professionals – Lawyers, Engineers, Architects etc. This reflects on their superior performance on the job. Similarly, in the North, which is not as educationally advanced as Imo and other South-Eastern States, the best brains are usually elected to executive and legislative positions. To the contrary, in the South-East, the emphasis is rather on the ‘money bags’. This should be de-emphasized. We should begin to encourage professionals, bureaucrats and people with very sound educational and public service background to get involved. Those who have excelled in their various fields of endeavour should be encouraged. Professionalism and high achievement are associated with discipline, obedience to rule, regulations and the law, as well as adherence to due process and obedience to rule of law. Most of these essentials are lacking in our present governance practice.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 09:21:20 +0000
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