Nigerians more interested in voting leaders to represent their religion, tribes —Shehu Sani

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, on Tuesday, condemned the urge by Nigerians to vote for incompetent leaders.

He lamented that Nigerians were more interested in voting for a candidate based on ethnicity, tribe and religion, instead of competence.

Sani was reacting to the emergence of Indian descendant and former British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Sunak won the race on Monday following the sudden resignation of Liz Truss last week as a result of her disastrous tax cuts plans and policy U-turns culminating into economic crisis in the country.

Sani, who compared the UK situation to what obtains in Nigeria via his Twitter handle, blamed the crises in his country on identity politics.

Read also:‘Bulletproof vehicles are now the lifeline of these violent times,’ Shehu Sani bemoans Nigeria’s insecurity

He noted that Nigerians were preoccupied with voting for leaders ready to pander to their ethnic and religious identities but lack the capacity to deliver.

He wrote: “A Hindu is their PM & a Muslim is their Mayor. Their interest is competent leadership & delivery. They soared above ethnic & religious sentiments. In most cases here, people are not looking for leaders who will develop their country, but who will represent their identities.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now