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By Tracy Moses
The Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) on Wednesday held its maiden National Convention in Abuja, unveiling what it described as a new vision for credible leadership, institutional reforms, and national transformation in Nigeria.
The convention, themed “The Road Map to Credible Leadership,” attracted party leaders, delegates, members of the diplomatic community, invited guests, and journalists from across the country, marking a significant milestone in the party’s emergence on the national political scene.
In his keynote address, the National Chairman of the DLA, Barr. Samuel M. Memeh, described the convention as more than a political gathering, calling it the foundation of a movement driven by ideology, discipline, and leadership renewal.
He said Nigeria’s central challenge remains a crisis of leadership, despite its vast human and natural resources, stressing that national progress depends on the quality of leadership in place.
According to him, credible leadership must be rooted in competence, integrity, accountability, courage, vision, and sacrifice, rather than ethnicity, propaganda, or political sentiment.
“The crisis confronting our nation today is fundamentally a crisis of leadership. The difference between prosperous nations and struggling nations is leadership,” he said.
Memeh explained that the DLA was founded on the principle of intentional leadership recruitment and development, adding that the party is ideologically driven and focused on long-term national transformation.
He listed the party’s ideology to include leadership-first governance, science and technology-driven development, a production-based economy, institutional reforms, justice, accountability, national unity, and protection of productive sectors of the economy.
He further called for a shift from consumption to production, saying Nigeria must embrace innovation, industrialization, and technological advancement to achieve sustainable growth.
“Our vision is a Nigeria where science and technology drive industrial growth, agriculture becomes mechanized and profitable, education is aligned with productivity, and leadership becomes a responsibility rather than an opportunity for personal gain,” he stated.
The DLA chairman also raised concerns over insecurity in rural communities, particularly conflicts linked to unregulated cattle movement, which he said had negatively affected farming activities, displaced communities, and worsened food insecurity.
He called for urgent agricultural reforms, including ranching systems, rural security measures, and stronger protection for farmers and farmlands across the country.
Memeh also criticized the current economic situation, noting that Nigerians were facing rising inflation, unemployment, and worsening living conditions, but maintained that the party remains focused on solutions-driven governance.
He highlighted the party’s youth-driven structure, noting that 98 percent of its founding members are under the age of 30, describing it as a deliberate effort to build a future-oriented political movement.
He also disclosed that members are undergoing industrial and renewable energy training in Russia, while over 10,000 Nigerian youths are being trained in digital and technical skills, including artificial intelligence, web development, blogging, and social media management.
“This is the difference between politics of promises and politics of preparation,” he said.
Memeh further stated that the party has been officially registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after meeting all legal requirements out of 171 applicants.
On national unity, he said the party deliberately avoided zoning its presidential ticket, describing it as a step toward inclusive and competence-based leadership selection.
“We believe leadership must be a national responsibility, not a regional entitlement,” he said.
He called for stronger institutions, leadership discipline, and prioritization of national interest over personal ambition, adding that the DLA represents a new political direction for Nigeria.
Also speaking at the convention, the Head of Mission, Leadership and Accountability Initiatives, Hon. Henry Shield, said Nigeria’s democracy was facing increasing pressure due to economic hardship, political intolerance, and declining public confidence in governance.
He described the convention as a call for democratic renewal, warning that democracy must go beyond elections to include justice, accountability, and genuine representation of the people.
Shield also expressed concern over the rising cost of political participation and exclusion of young people from governance, urging reforms that strengthen internal party democracy and political inclusion.
He called on the DLA to remain committed to competence, discipline, and justice in its political structure.
The convention ended with renewed calls for national unity, credible leadership, youth empowerment, and institutional reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria for sustainable development.