The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has outlined key strategies for reforming the process of recruiting political leaders in order to promote sustainable development.

Olaopa shared his views on Monday, April 20, 2026, while delivering a lecture to participants of SEC 48 (2026) at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Plateau State.

He criticised the current system of political leadership selection, describing it as deeply flawed and dominated by godfatherism and “sit-tight” tendencies, with little regard for competence and merit. According to him, this has significantly hindered development in Nigeria and across many African nations.

He noted that meaningful progress would remain elusive unless issues surrounding leadership selection, succession, and development are properly addressed.

Olaopa pointed out that a major gap in Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process is the absence of structured mentoring, particularly in preparing individuals for public service and policymaking roles. He clarified that mentoring should not be mistaken for godfatherism, explaining that true mentoring is built on mutual respect and free from exploitation.

He further observed that many political leaders lack essential governance skills, which often leads to poor decision-making, overdependence on limited advisory circles, and an inability to effectively tackle national challenges.

In contrast, he highlighted that advanced democracies adopt more structured approaches to leadership development, including mentoring systems, training programmes, and practical exposure such as shadow cabinet roles.

To address these challenges, Olaopa proposed a comprehensive reform agenda. This includes strengthening internal democracy within political parties, promoting merit-based candidate selection, and establishing structured mentoring systems for leadership development.

He also emphasised the importance of increased voter education to encourage active citizen participation, as well as empowering anti-corruption agencies to tackle electoral offences. Additionally, he called for improving the efficiency of the judiciary in handling election-related disputes.

Olaopa further recommended a review of the high cost of elections to reduce the influence of money politics and create opportunities for young people and professionals to participate in governance.

He concluded by advocating for the restructuring of Nigeria’s federal system to enhance grassroots participation and support people-driven governance and development planning.