A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retired), on Monday urged the nation’s leaders to imbibe the transparent and people-oriented leadership style of the late President Umaru Yar`Adua.

Mr Gowon said this in Abuja at the first Umaru Yar’Adua International Leadership Conference and Awards on Monday in Abuja.

The conference was organised by the Global Initiative for Leadership Success.

Mr Gowon said that for the nation to achieve sustainable development, both leaders and other citizens should be morally upright and address the most pressing needs of society.

Recalling his experience with Mr Yar’Adua while he was the governor of Katsina State, Mr Gowon said that guinea worm would not have been eradicated without the rapid and apt response to governance by Mr Yar’Adua.

He commended the late Mr Yar’Adua for setting up the Justice Muhammed Uwais Electoral Reforms meant to end electoral malfeasance.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the initiative, retired Maj.-Gen Abdullahi Mamman, said that the gathering was aimed at interrogating leadership issues with regards to the palace of morality and ethics in governance.

Mr Mamman, while describing the late President Yar’Adua, said, “His governance and leadership qualities were sterling, profoundly mercurial, and legendary, noting that his administration grew the economy and stabilised society.

“His audaciousness, boldness and sincerity in acknowledging in his inaugural speech that the electoral process that brought him to power was flawed and that his pledge to take concrete steps and actions were enough proof of his honesty.”

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue urged Nigerians to support the state and federal governments for the smooth running of the government.

Mr Alia said that Mr Yar’Adua was being celebrated because of his exploits in fighting corruption.

He said that Mr Yar’Adua was transparent and identified the clog in the wheel of the system, adding that he was also doing the same since he assumed office.

“Transparency, getting everyone along, and ensuring that the system works formidably are about good governance, which is my takeaway from his administration,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Global Intellectual Consult, Prof. Mike Ikupolati, said promoting merit over tribalism was a trait of good governance.

He said that strong governmental institutions and public-private partnerships were part of a moral and ethical antidote to national development.

Mr Ikupolati said that Nigeria had no problem with the formulation of policies but with the implementation of the formulated policies.

He urged the government to change the process of appointing people into leadership positions, saying that skill alone was not enough for the selection of people into leadership positions.

The Chief Executive Officer of ORASCOM Properties Ltd., Majeed Dahiru, said the absence of integrity-based political leadership stunted the development of the country.

Some of the governors who were given awards for good leadership are Mr Alia of Benue State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Babagana Zulum of Borno. 

(NAN)