From the time of the nation‟s independence up till now, it has seriously grappled with the challenges of poor leadership and governance or what has been popularly referred to as leadership and governance ineptitude. This has become so pronounced and brazen that it has ultimately affected the nation‟s development over time. More often than not, the nation has been foisted with political leaders who lack the basic ingredients required for effective, efficient and productive political leadership which will ultimately turn the country around for good. Governance therefore has become an all comers affair where the qualified and the unqualified, the high and the low as well as the rich and the poor all jostle inordinately for political power. The paper opines that in order to solve the nation‟s intractable leadership and governance challenges conclusively, the country needs a true and transparent transformational leadership structure which will drive the political and governmental system in the country for effective and efficient political leadership and governance that will ultimately usher in genuine and verifiable development in the country for the overall benefit of the entire citizenry. The paper further canvasses for an open, accountable, transparent and competitive leadership recruitment process which will give all citizens who genuinely wish to take up political positions the fair and unimpeded chance to do so without any let or hindrance since politics is generally regarded the world over as a call to serve humanity and not an opportunity for self-enrichment as many see it presently in Nigeria.
