By Ovasa Ogaga,
Stakeholders across governance, academia, civil society, and the media have called for a shift from political maneuvering to responsible governance as the foundation for Nigeria’s development. Speaking at the second edition of the Advocate Publication Ltd Annual Lecture Series held Friday, April 25, 2025, at Wetland Hotel, Ughelli, Delta State, they warned that the nation’s future would remain uncertain unless governance takes precedence over politics.
Delivering the keynote, development economist Professor Abanum Innocent Ifelunini attributed Nigeria’s underdevelopment to the politicization of governance, warning that “when short-term political interests take precedence over long-term planning, there can be no meaningful development. We must rethink politics and insist on responsible governance.”
Chairman of the event, Olorogun Austin Emaduku, emphasized that governance and politics must work in synergy, stating, “Governance is about policy implementation, while politics is about power dynamics. But if power is pursued without a governance agenda, the people suffer. We need to strike a balance that ensures both serve the national interest.”
Mr. Shedrack Onitsha, Chief Executive Officer of Advocate Publication Ltd, in his welcome address, condemned the trend of leaders prioritizing political survival over governance. “We are disturbed by a trend where the obsession with political survival overshadows the responsibility of governance. Officeholders get sworn in and immediately begin preparing for the next election,” he said.
Onitsha stressed the urgent need to interrogate the real value politics offers if it does not result in development. “This platform is our contribution to nation-building — to inspire a reset in thinking and practice among our political leaders,” he added.
Ambassador Pas Edewor Egedegbe, Executive Director of Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative and moderator of the panel session, urged citizens to become more engaged beyond election cycles. “Too many Nigerians only wake up during elections and go back to sleep afterward. Governance begins where politics ends — we must learn to hold leaders accountable all year round,” he said.
Egedegbe noted that with political developments unfolding in Delta State, discussions such as the Advocate Lecture were more relevant than ever. “The relevance of this conversation cannot be overstated. Citizens must stop clapping for politicians who fail to deliver. Our silence is complicity,” he added.
Speaking with journalists after the event, Prof. Ifelunini reiterated the need for policy continuity, noting, “Governance must not stop because politics is heating up. Politicians must understand that true leadership means looking beyond the next election.”
Onitsha, in a passionate remark, decried a national crisis of misplaced priorities. “Even at the federal and state levels, midway into political terms, we see more campaigns and power plays than policy conversations. Where then is governance?” he asked rhetorically.
He warned that Nigeria would continue to recycle poverty and stagnation if governance is not prioritized. “If governance continues to be sacrificed on the altar of political ambition, we will keep recycling poverty and stagnation,” he stated.
Other discussants at the event included Professor Andrew Agboro, Ambassador Stella Odika, and Mr. Emmanuel Enebeli, who all emphasized the need for electoral reforms, strong institutions, and public enlightenment as vital steps toward bridging the governance-politics gap.
Participants commended Advocate Newspaper for organizing the lecture. One attendee described the event as “not just a lecture, but a wake-up call,” stressing that “our future as a nation depends on getting governance right.”
As the lecture concluded, the consensus was unanimous: for Nigeria to achieve lasting development, governance must once again take precedence over political ambition, and leadership must be redefined as a service to the people rather than a race for survival.
