Political Leadership and Economic Development in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The main purpose of the study was to examine the impact of political leadership on economic development in Akwa Ibom State (AKS). The study was anchored on the theoretical expositions of human capital and transformational leadership theories. The study adopted the survey research method, using a sample of 379, drawn from a population of 15,210 public officials from selected MDAs in Uyo. Simple random and stratified random sampling techniques were used to administer a 7-item questionnaire to the respondents. Simple percentages and tables were used to present and analyze the data, while the PPMCC was used to test hypotheses, The study revealed that though political leadership had a significant direct impact on economic development in the improvement of economic indicators in health, education and standard of living of the citizens, it was undermined by leadership corruption, which contributed to high rate of poverty, unemployment, hunger, inequality, political exclusion, instability and crime in Akwa Ibom State. The study recommended the diversification of the economy from oil to agriculture and the provision of infrastructure to engender greater development of the state.