Former Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Attahiru Jega has issued a stark warning to Nigeria’s political class ahead of the next general election cycle, calling on politicians to abandon desperation-driven campaigns and commit instead to issue-based engagement.
Speaking as a guest lecturer at an international conference organised by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Federal University Dutse, Jega delivered a lecture on the challenges of nation-building in the 21st century in which he argued that democracy itself was under threat without urgent structural reforms and a new generation of leaders who placed the nation above personal ambition.
“As we approach another electoral cycle, politicians must abandon the do-or-die approach and commit to democratic ideals. Elections should not be a battleground, but a process for choosing leaders of character and proven capacity,” he said.
Jega urged Nigerian voters to take responsibility for the quality of their representatives, insisting that leadership was a public trust that must be earned through integrity, accountability, and a demonstrable commitment to service. He identified honesty, transparency, respect for the rule of law, and the ability to unite diverse communities as the hallmarks of effective governance.
