Former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nsima Ekere, has called on Nigeria’s political elite to shift focus from blind loyalty to competence and integrity when appointing individuals into public office. Ekere made the remarks during the Inside Sources programme with Laolu Akande on Channels Television on Friday, where he spoke candidly about the root causes of leadership failures in Nigeria.
According to Ekere, the entrenched culture of rewarding loyalty over merit has significantly undermined governance across various levels of government.
“You know, but our political class, they prioritize what they call loyalty, you know, more than competence, when they are promoting politicians. And I mean, and they refuse to learn, because you see, that’s all the experiences that are going in the country, you can see that there’s nothing like loyalty.”
He argued that such a system only recycles mediocrity while stifling progress. Ekere insisted that the country must urgently begin to elevate people based on their capacity and integrity rather than personal allegiance.
“So it’s high time we begin to, you know, look more at capacity, competence, over so-called loyalty. Because that’s really, I mean, look at the—I mean, every human being that you interact with, you can say to a very, some extent, this guy has integrity, okay? So look at quality, you know, competent people with some level of integrity. And please, you know, promote them. Don’t just bring people that are wishy-washy. They only claim it’s loyalty.”
Using a real-world example, Ekere criticised a common political practice where individuals lacking relevant experience or skills are put in charge of critical roles, while technocrats are relegated to advisory positions behind the scenes.
“And then you give it to them, they don’t even know how to start, they don’t know what to do, you know? And I’ve had people say, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll put him there and then we’ll get a good chief of staff to work with him or her.’ Why don’t you give the job to the chief of staff? Why don’t you give it to him? He’s competent.”
Ekere stated that such decisions are often driven by an unhealthy desire for political control rather than genuine concern for governance outcomes.
“So people are more interested in loyalty, control of the fellow in the office, more than competence, to deliver. And that’s part of the problems we have as a country.”
The former deputy governor also described himself as someone who does not fit the mould of a “typical Nigerian politician,” saying his decisions are guided more by principle and professionalism than political survival.
“I’m not the typical Nigerian politician, because I wouldn’t just do anything for the sake of politics, you know? And that’s probably because of my background as well. I have something else I can do, which I’m doing, you know? Which I was doing before politics and I will do after politics.”
He pointed to his involvement in real estate as a steady source of fulfilment and income—something that distinguishes him from many others who depend entirely on political appointments.
“So, I mean, yes, I’ve been involved in political processes for quite a bit. But if you look at the period of time I’ve actually been in political offices, it’s not that much. Because I come in, come out, go in, come out, you know? And then every time I come out, I have something to do, you know? And my passion, my basic training is in real estate. And I love real estate, you know? And I love real estate.”
“So I’m always, you know, getting involved in other things as well. That’s why you wouldn’t just take anything. Just because, you know, you wouldn’t just take anything,” he said.
Ekere’s remarks come at a time when public criticism of political appointments and governance performance is rising, with many Nigerians calling for a merit-based leadership model that reflects professionalism, patriotism, and performance.
