The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process, describing it as fundamentally flawed.

He warned that when factors such as money, ethnicity, and political patronage take precedence over merit, the entire system inevitably suffers.

Speaking at a lecture during the book launch and 70th birthday celebration of Olusola Oke, the minister stressed that the strength of any society is closely tied to the integrity and transparency of how its leaders are chosen.

Keyamo further noted that when leadership roles are treated as rewards for loyalty rather than positions of responsibility, the consequences ripple across society—manifesting in insecurity, poverty, failing infrastructure, and missed opportunities.

He added that addressing these issues begins with acknowledging the problem. According to him, the challenges in leadership selection are long-standing and widely recognised.

He explained that political parties are responsible for producing candidates through primaries, congresses, or consensus arrangements. While these processes are intended to be democratic, he observed that, in reality, outcomes are often influenced by money, godfatherism, zoning, and ethnic considerations.