Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, emphasized the importance of citizens-centred governance to promote equitable development.
Speaking at Ishaq Akintola’s autobiography launch, El-Rufai praised Tinubu’s administration for its progressive decisions.
Akintola recently retired from the Lagos State university having attained the statutory retirement age of 70.
El-Rufai highlighted that the administration’s solid foundation has silenced critics who doubted its capabilities.
“As a people, the earlier we distil ourselves from the primordial ethno-religious perception of things, especially as it concerns national leadership, the better for us,” he said.
“The present administration’s swift and beneficial changes demonstrate the importance of merit-based leadership, not entitlement.
“We should prioritize a society free from discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation.
“As members of the two major religious groups in the country, if we find ourselves in public positions, we should ensure we practice the basic principles of leadership as encapsulated in both Christian and Islamic religions.
“Both religions espouse the culture of good leadership, but some individual persons tend to do that which is at variance with the scriptures.”
El-Rufai acknowledged that previous leadership choices based on entitlement caused prolonged crises in Kaduna.
He noted that a recent shift from the old tradition of leadership selection has brought positive changes to the state.