A presidential aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Redemption Party, Yakubu Kingsley, has said public appointments should be based on competence, integrity and accountability rather than ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or personal loyalty.

Kingsley said the principle should guide the appointment of public officials while ensuring equitable representation of different regions, communities, genders and generations in government.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the former PRP presidential aspirant said, “The new direction for the country should mean combining competence with equitable representation, integrity and accountability.

“The guiding principle should be simple: Merit, Integrity, Representation, Transparency and Accountability,” he said.

He said that competence should remain a key consideration in public appointments, but no region, state, community, gender or generation should be systematically excluded from national participation.

He said the Federal Character principle should also be applied transparently and measurably in governance.

“Federal character must therefore become more than a constitutional principle invoked during political arguments; it must become a transparent and measurable instrument of governance,” Kingsley said.

He proposed a framework for public appointments that would enable Nigerians to assess the geographical, professional and other dimensions of representation in government.

According to him, such a system would help reduce political accusations and counter-accusations over appointments.

Kingsley also said inclusion should extend beyond government appointments to policymaking and consultations with different sections of society.

He listed political parties, professional bodies, religious organisations, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, academia, labour, the private sector, women and youth groups, people living with disabilities, Nigerians in the diaspora and community groups among those whose views should be considered in national development.

“Inclusion has to go beyond appointments. While government must remain constitutionally neutral, particularly in matters of religion and partisan politics, it must maintain structured channels for consultation with these constituencies and draw from their knowledge, experience and reach,” he said.

He said governance should involve broader consultation with different groups so they could contribute to policymaking, monitor implementation and provide feedback.

“Governance must not be confined to Abuja or to the political class. Government must listen to the people they serve, who experience the consequences of its decisions,” he added.

Kingsley said the principle of inclusion should also apply to communities where Nigeria’s natural resources are extracted.

“Nigeria belongs to us all; therefore, the government must reflect that reality. The country is a nation of remarkable ethnic, cultural, religious, professional, political and regional diversity.

“Legitimate interests must have voices and Nigerians must have fair opportunity to contribute to the development of the nation,” he said.

He argued that communities where petroleum, gas and solid minerals are extracted should have a greater stake in development arising from those resources.