By Musa Baba Adamu
A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has urged Nigerian politicians to shun desperation and embrace issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Jega made the call at the 2nd International Conference organised by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Federal University Dutse, where he emphasised that leadership must be anchored on integrity, competence, and a clear developmental vision.
Delivering a lecture titled “Challenges of Nation Building in the 21st Century” through Dr. Basiru Musa Makarfi, the former INEC boss warned against prioritising personal ambition and party interests over national unity and peace.
He stressed that elections should not be treated as a “do-or-die” affair but as a democratic process for selecting leaders with proven capacity and character.
Jega also called on citizens to take responsibility by electing credible candidates, noting that leadership is a public trust that must be exercised with accountability and commitment to the welfare of the people.
According to him, sustainable governance depends on honesty, transparency, respect for the rule of law, and the ability to unite citizens toward national progress.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Ahmad Muhammed Gumel, represented by the University Librarian, Ahmed Mohammed, commended the speakers and urged Nigerians to promote unity, patriotism, and collective responsibility.
The conference attracted participants from academia, traditional institutions, the security sector, and civil society, who examined key national challenges such as corruption, weak institutions, insecurity, poor governance, and globalisation pressures.
High-profile personalities honoured at the event included former Chief of Army Staff Yusuf Buratai, former Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba, and former Minister of Education Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’I, among others.
