₦airaland Forum

Merit, Not Money: How Nigeria Can Borrow from China's Leadership Model Without Losing Democracy

By Abbas Hamisu

Sometimes, I believe a one-party state could serve Nigeria just fine, especially if merit, not money or godfathers, drives the leadership selection process.

By merit, I do not mean intelligence or charisma. I mean two concrete, verifiable things: first, at least ten to fifteen years of progressive leadership experience starting from the ward or community level; second, successfully passing a series of standardized, competitive exams at a recognized Leadership School covering governance, law, economics, public administration, and ethics. No shortcuts. No exceptions.

Today, Nigerian political parties nominate candidates based mostly on local patronage and money. A person who has never run at least a local government budget will just suddenly aspire to become a governor or sometimes even a president.

I believe we should model our leadership selection process closely on the Chinese system, but adapt it to a competitive multi-party democratic system.

First, every party must operate a Leadership School accredited by an independent national body. Any citizen can join a party at the ward level, but to rise, they must pass Level 1 exams within two years. Promotion to local government positions requires Level 2 and at least five years of verifiable service at the ward level, including performance audits.

Second, no person can be a party's candidate for local government chairman unless they have passed Level 2 and served at least three years in ward-level leadership. No candidate for governor can be fielded unless they have served a full term as a local government chairman and passed Level 3 exams. For president, a candidate must have served as a governor for at least one term, passed the highest leadership examination, and accumulated at least fifteen years of ascending party/administrative roles.

Third, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) becomes a Merit Enforcer. Before any primary election, INEC must verify that every aspirant meets these experience and examination requirements. Any party that submits an unqualified candidate is disqualified from that election cycle entirely. This preserves multi-party competition; any party can exist, and any ideology can compete, but all parties must nominate only deeply experienced, exam-qualified leaders.

Fourth, defection is not banned but has a merit-based cost. If an elected official changes parties, they do not lose their exam certifications, but they lose all accumulated service seniority. They must restart at the ward level under the new party and serve another five to seven years before becoming eligible for higher office. This kills opportunistic defection without abolishing political freedom.

People will say Nigerian political elites will never accept this. They are right in today's reality. However, reform is not a one-year project. We can phase this in: start with local government elections. Require all LG chairmanship candidates to pass Level 1 and have five years of ward service. After five years, raise the bar for state assemblies. After ten years, for governors. After fifteen years, for president. Each election cycle, the bar rises. Political parties will adapt because they will have no choice; the law will not recognize unqualified candidates.

May Nigeria's democracy succeed.

Merit, Not Money: How Nigeria Can Borrow from China's Leadership Model Without Losing Democracy

By Abbas Hamisu

Sometimes, I believe a one-party state could serve Nigeria just fine, especially if merit, not money or godfathers, drives the leadership selection process.

By merit, I do not mean intelligence or charisma. I mean two concrete, verifiable things: first, at least ten to fifteen years of progressive leadership experience starting from the ward or community level; second, successfully passing a series of standardized, competitive exams at a recognized Leadership School covering governance, law, economics, public administration, and ethics. No shortcuts. No exceptions.

Today, Nigerian political parties nominate candidates based mostly on local patronage and money. A person who has never run at least a local government budget will just suddenly aspire to become a governor or sometimes even a president.

I believe we should model our leadership selection process closely on the Chinese system, but adapt it to a competitive multi-party democratic system.

First, every party must operate a Leadership School accredited by an independent national body. Any citizen can join a party at the ward level, but to rise, they must pass Level 1 exams within two years. Promotion to local government positions requires Level 2 and at least five years of verifiable service at the ward level, including performance audits.

Second, no person can be a party's candidate for local government chairman unless they have passed Level 2 and served at least three years in ward-level leadership. No candidate for governor can be fielded unless they have served a full term as a local government chairman and passed Level 3 exams. For president, a candidate must have served as a governor for at least one term, passed the highest leadership examination, and accumulated at least fifteen years of ascending party/administrative roles.

Third, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) becomes a Merit Enforcer. Before any primary election, INEC must verify that every aspirant meets these experience and examination requirements. Any party that submits an unqualified candidate is disqualified from that election cycle entirely. This preserves multi-party competition; any party can exist, and any ideology can compete, but all parties must nominate only deeply experienced, exam-qualified leaders.

Fourth, defection is not banned but has a merit-based cost. If an elected official changes parties, they do not lose their exam certifications, but they lose all accumulated service seniority. They must restart at the ward level under the new party and serve another five to seven years before becoming eligible for higher office. This kills opportunistic defection without abolishing political freedom.

People will say Nigerian political elites will never accept this. They are right in today's reality. However, reform is not a one-year project. We can phase this in: start with local government elections. Require all LG chairmanship candidates to pass Level 1 and have five years of ward service. After five years, raise the bar for state assemblies. After ten years, for governors. After fifteen years, for president. Each election cycle, the bar rises. Political parties will adapt because they will have no choice; the law will not recognize unqualified candidates.

May Nigeria's democracy succeed.

I agree with you. You've understood the geopolitics very well.

aribisala0:
Nigeria should find capital collaborate with Russia to build a nuclear power plant in Niger and send th power to Nigeria

Hopefully the government can do feasibility studies

A good thought, but the political atmosphere is fluid. I think it's better we have it here in Nigeria

Kano to Maraɗi railway Project and the current dispensation

When the late President Muhammadu Buhari decided to embark on this project, many criticised the decision. The criticism is mostly on the line that why Niger republic? What do they have to offer? The critics have no idea that the project is part of the African Integrated High Speed Railway Network.

The African Integrated High Speed Railway Network is part of the larger project to link African states. It was approved by the African Union(AU) in 2014.

The high speed network includes 6 East to West Corridors and 3 North to South corridors. For those who are interested, you can read more on this and see how it can revolutionised life on the African continent.

Now back to Kano to Maraɗi!

In the wisdom of late President Muhammadu Buhari, issue of shared prosperity is a key concept that will help Africa developed. Meaning, you cannot be successful as a country and allow your neighbour to be in distressed. With project conclusion, both Nigeria and Niger stands to benefit considering the long term economic potential.

The railway network will be extended from Kano to Maradi in Niger which is virtually a landlocked along with Burkina Faso and Chad who currently only have road access to sea ports in Accra in Ghana, Cotonou in Benin and Lome in Togo. Indeed, this make perfect economic sense for us to allow good from Niger, Burkina Faso to Lagos ports for export.

For centuries the trans-Saharan trade route went from Maradi to Kano and was prosperous until colonialism and more recently destabilizing forces changed such fortunes. The original city of Maradi is ancient , dating back thousands of years.

Apart from gold deposits, Niger is considered to have one asset, uranium. Niger is the 4th largest uranium producer globally and has a high grade deposits. The Uranium is mined near the towns of Arlit and Akokan, 1200 km northeast of the capital, Niamey, on the western range of the Air mountains. The mined ore is transported by truck 1600 km to Parakou in Benin, from where it is transported by rail, 400 km to Cotonou Port and then exported.

Now, Niger has a lot to offer, if you think it's not that relevant today, the future will definitely tell another story especially, if we pivot to Nuclear energy which by the account of many experts is more cleaner.

Now, the current president, despite some allegation of anti north bias, has continued to ensure that the project has reach its intended climax. He has to be commended for that. In fact, the initial design of the project has been altered to cover more routes within the North West Corridors( Dutse section I think). Also, the project is now at an advanced stage of around 60% I believe.

Personally, I want to see the conclusion of these projects: Kano Maraɗi Railway project, AKK gas pipeline and Kano to Kaduna railway line.

Peace

Helloworld123:
When you're appointed by the government, you resign from your position. It's a call to national service, you cannot do it while keeping your job. It also a conflict of interest.

I think that's where many people get it wrong.


Modified

I just looked it up now and there's no record of him resigning from his position first. This might be the reason for these speculation. I agree with you that if he still has his job, then this issue is unavoidable.

He resigned before he was appointed NNPCL GMD by the Buhari administration. This was after the passage of the PIB and the transformation of the company.

Whatever the case, Tinubu should not reappoint this man. If Tinubu decide to do it, then he has erred big time. Kyari need to go

This is one of the reason they have been trying hard to show some progress especially the lunching of the refineries at premature stages

Bluntemperor:
Agreed, Kyari is about to go on retirement, even in Management, somebody can continue to be on Extension,for years, without changing,if he is doing well!
Do you change a winning Football team ⚽ on the Field?

You are comparing apples and oranges here!

No matter how well a winning team is doing, at some certain times, a new set will eventually takeover! Meaning, you can't rely on the same team forever without giving others a building foundation to start from.

I don't really believe he is doing well. During his tenure, Nigeria were exposed to one of the worst period of fuel scarcity and constant promises. In fact, even Kyari himself knew that Nigeria see them as liars with their constant false promises.

Look I have no problem with Kyari at all, but I don't believe in a packaging to bamboozle the masses. He did the same packaging for Buhari in Bauchi and up to now the oil field in Bauchi and Gombe remain idle. At that time, we believe his packaging very well but not anymore

Bluntemperor:
A good observations!
NNPC,must answer this man question ❓
Is it Palliatives they are doing or finding Permanent Solutions,to this Refineries?
Mr Mele Kyari - over to you.
* Nairaland Forum/ Seun, please help us Forward ⏩ this Observations to the NNPC L Management!
We are even hearing that the GMD is about to Retire, and that is why he is doing all these.

Kyari is just doing all this media to curry favour with the president and to get extensions. They are just packaging the whole thing to bamboozle Nigerians

Port Harcourt refinery is not functioning as being propagated.

The Warri refinery was functioning at the current phase when Kyari decided to shut it down for overhaul. Now same Kyari has decided to direct for it to resume operations without the completion of the overhaul.

All this is being done because Kyari wants to get the President favour for tenure extension and also to justify the over $2b spent on this overhaul.

That means the other voices are true but it's was where it was said that differ?

Let that of Tinubu get cloned too

Next is the video

Let him provide an evidence to back up his claim

According to NEF, Atiku doesn't care about the North and is just using the North for his personal ambition..

https://www.blueprint.ng/atiku-not-northern-candidate-nef/

Atiku blamed the weather for not going to common Taraba, while Tinubu is now in Maiduguri.

Respect to Tinubu

Tinubu gathered more crowd in Jigawa than Atiku

PDP is dead in Zamfara, all this is a parody

Tinubu is going to win this election. No amount of sabotage can stop him

NwaNimo1:
L.ets

P.ray

https://www.reactiongifs.com/r/ntntrstd1.gif

A.nother

P.athetic

C.laim

This NNPC GMD has his roots in PDP.

How's Atiku campaign in Benue today?? It's like watery

We will vote for Tinubu. We are honourable men and not ingrates

JASONjnr:
Let him structure his party first...


It seems Atiku have been doing alot of underground consultation and it's yielding results for him.

While Tinubu is trying to rely on Kaduna, Borno, Kano and few other northern states to make up with the votes he thinks he will get from the s/w to qualify him to win.

Nigeria will break, if another northerner succeeds Buhari and Nigeria will equally break if Igbo isn't given the opportunity to be a president.


This is very certain and the people doing the underground work are trying to balance everything to avoid this war.

Tinubu just need 60% of Votes in SW and NW to win. In the event he couldn't get 60% in NW, the votes from NE and NC will suffice. Tinubu is the clear front runner in this race

Voting for Atiku will be a terrible mistake

Out of the candidates, Tinubu is the only one with a pro masses agenda. Voting for Atiku will be the worst mistake that Nigerians would ever make. I'm from the North and I fully support Tinubu

Bola Tinubu will win this election

Many people will vote for Tinubu in the North, write this down

In every action, who benefits the more is a suspect no 1. From this, Atiku knows some thing about what's happening and who's pulling the strings

SenatePresdo:
For Tinubu to win This election without the SE/SS like Buhari did, he would have to win the North with over 80% like Buhari also did.
Anything short of that, Tinubu is a goner.

This time around it would be different considering that there are 4 candidates. Tinubu has the best chance

See the real pictures away from angle photography and video

Indispensable85:
The neophytes don't understand politics. They're short sighted. Kwankwanso is preparing for his future presidential ambition. He'll prefer to step down for a southern candidate than Atiku.

Absolutely! I'm from Kano, Atiku will not win in Kano. Likely 3rd Position

Kwankwaso will never step down. If he allows Atiku to win, his political career will be dead and he is quite aware of that. It's better for a southerner to win, because that's his only pathway to the presidency.