By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja

The newly registered Democratic Leadership Alliance, DLA, on Wednesday formally launched its national movement in Abuja, declaring that Nigeria’s current crisis stems largely from what it described as a failure of leadership, weak institutions, and poor governance.

Speaking at the party’s First National Convention held in Abuja, National Chairman of the party, Samuel M. Memeh, said the DLA was established to build a new political culture rooted in competence, accountability, innovation, and national unity.

Memeh said the party emerged out of the conviction that Nigeria could only achieve sustainable development through “intentional leadership recruitment and leadership development,” stressing that the country’s challenges were fundamentally tied to the quality of leadership at all levels.

According to him, the DLA seeks to reposition Nigeria from what he described as a “consumption-driven economy” to a productive and innovation-based economy powered by science, technology, industrial growth, and modern agriculture.

“Our ideology is simple but powerful. Nigeria can only move forward through credible leadership built on vision, competence, integrity, accountability, courage, and sacrifice,” he said.

The DLA chairman criticized the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing it of worsening economic hardship and insecurity across the country.

He said millions of Nigerians were struggling under rising inflation, unemployment, hunger, and declining living standards, adding that governance must return to prioritizing the welfare of ordinary citizens.

“The APC-led administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought untold hardship and insecurity upon Nigerians. The government must begin to focus on practical solutions that directly improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians,” he stated.

Memeh also raised concerns over insecurity in farming communities, warning that violent conflicts, destruction of farmlands, and displacement of rural populations were crippling food production and threatening national stability.

He blamed the situation partly on the “poorly managed cattle business” and the neglect of ranching reforms and rural security initiatives.

According to him, the party would prioritize agricultural modernization, mechanized farming, ranching reforms, renewable energy, and the protection of farming communities if given the opportunity to govern.

The DLA chairman further disclosed that the party had deliberately refused to zone its future presidential ticket to any region, insisting that leadership should be based on competence rather than regional entitlement.

“This decision is intended to strengthen national unity, deepen inclusiveness, and demonstrate that the future of Nigeria must be built on patriotism and collective national interest above sectional considerations,” he said.

Highlighting the party’s youth-focused agenda, Memeh revealed that 98 per cent of the party’s founding members were under the age of 30, adding that the movement was investing heavily in leadership training and digital skills development.

He disclosed that some party members were currently undergoing specialized industrial and renewable energy training in Russia under its “Science Behind Manufacturing Base Programme,” while over 10,000 Nigerian youths were being trained in web development, artificial intelligence automation, blogging, and social media management.

The DLA chairman described the party’s symbol, the “Golden Pen,” as a representation of its determination to “rewrite Nigeria’s political and developmental history.”

He also noted that out of 171 applications submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for party registration, the DLA was the only association registered on February 5, 2026.

Calling for institutional reforms and accountability in governance, Memeh urged Nigerians to embrace a new political order driven by ideas, discipline, innovation, and responsible leadership.

“This convention represents more than an internal party exercise. It is the beginning of a national movement to redefine leadership and governance in Nigeria,” he added.