Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has said that religiously minded leaders are the type of leaders needed in Nigeria. He made the remarks whilst receiving the Meritorious Diamond Award for National Development organised by Corporate and Media Africa Communication Limited in Abuja.
Kwankwaso was represented by the Executive Director, Kano State Censorship Board, Ahmed Dahiru Beli.
The Governor said, “Leadership is really an issue in Nigeria. The only way we can get it right is for our electorate to ensure that whoever they are electing at both the local, state and federal levels are people of integrity, honesty and have deep religious understanding, either Christian or Muslim.
“This is because if you are religiously minded you tend to be a good leader. So, whatever religion you belong in Nigeria, should be one of the criteria Nigerians should look into and not the financial capability of the candidate.
“Don’t collect money to elect somebody, rather elect somebody that can give you good representation. If you have good state and National Assembly representatives, there is no way the Governor or the President will not do the right thing.
“This is because the members of the Assembly will check the way he does things. That is where our problem started.
“We have to sensitise the electorate to elect good leaders. We can identify good leaders by looking at their previous records of achievements.”
He further said: “If you elect somebody and the election is upturned by powers that be, you have the right to say no. It is happening all over the world. You can follow the due process of the law, there is struggle and protest but not violent protest.
“Tell the world that the election done in Nigeria is wrong and it need to be addressed and the international community will hear it and look into it and will now solve the problem.
“But if we see things are going wrong in the country and we all keep quite pretending to be good citizens, thinking there is nothing you can do to change the situation, there can be no change.
“Say no to any wrong doing in the country and the country will be better for it,” the Governor added.