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Governors Leaving Their States ‘Better’ Than They Met It: Plateau State, Like Other States By Prince Charles Dickson Jos, Plateau Nigeria
For quite
some time I have tried hard to turn a blind eye on the political
calculations that has unfolded every day on the Plateau. Since my last
piece titled Rocking the Cradle: The Political Geometry Of Dariye and
Mantu, not much has changed rather the stakes have simply gone high.
Apart
from probably Bayelsa State in recent times and Anambra in the recent
past, no other State has been in the mud like Plateau state.
Unfortunately the truth is that Plateau State is a true reflection of
the true state of affairs in mostly all the states of the so-called
“federation”. I draw strength from the comments of Dr. Badam on one of
my essay in which he drew comments relating to Plateau.
I recall
with nostalgia when the Dariye campaign train was on the move in 1999,
it was nicknamed “Choice 99”. A lot of people and rightly so, felt it
was time for change on the Plateau and more especially we all felt that
youth should be given a chance. Although painfully one must note that
the Governor even then did not win the PDP primaries, he bought it like
most of his colleagues did then from Chief Solomon Lar, former PDP
Chairman and one time strongman of Plateau politics now a “weakling”.
After the
Governor was sworn in, for the first four years he was a complete and
unadulterated failure, his inability to manage the security of the State
was evident in his handling the numerous ethno-religious conflicts that
the state has played host to, not forgetting Senator Mantu’s unseen hand
in the recent ones. However, one must note that the relationship of
these two men were once like the monkey to banana “all sweeties”. I
would not bother us by going back to the State of Emergency era and its
politics I would rather dwell on today.
One of
Governor Joshua Dariye catch phrase is that he would leave the State
“better than he met it”. Indeed there is truth in that statement, he is
actually leaving Plateau better that he met it” this all depends on ones
def inition of “better”.
The EFCC
guys whom I called gendarmes were in town recently and they had the
bitter taste of leaving the state better than they came. Authoritatively
I state that one of EFCC officials received the beating of his life (not
that I sympathise with him). The operative with the name Mr. Iliyasu was
thought some lessons. He had gone with his colleagues to Dariye’s
brother’s house as part of their investigation to question the younger
Dariye. When Dariye was informed, he gathered his some of his Police
aides and “fast quick” was at his brother’s house where he assaulted the
EFCC man. Contrary to newspaper reports the EFCC men or man were never
kidnapped, but he was actually beaten up by the Governor, YES, the
Governor.
The
ungentlemanly conducted of the Governor speaks volume of the level of
decadence that our leaders have thrown morals to. After the encounter
the Secretary to the State government turned put up a lie in the name of
press statement refuting the incidence. Our women with no food were
co-opted by the Commissioner of Women Affairs Hajiya Samira to come and
cry foul on the Governor’s behalf for some few thousand Naira. Shame on
us, for how long will this continue.
After the
State Governor had escaped London at least not dressed like a pregnant
woman, very few doubted that he would have been humbled but like
Alamieyesha after him, they never learn, there is something about the
Nigeria politician that makes or gives them the feeling of a demi-god.
The Governor not only continued in looting the State treasury, but the
shadow boxing between himself and the Deputy Senate President Ibra him
Mantu took a more deadly dimension.
As an
observer it is fun to see how top shots that had at one time or the
other aided and abetted the Governor in looting all disappear into thin
air. The fear of EFCC is the beginning…in the last two weeks the
Governor girlfriend or concubine has been arrested, so also the House of
Assembly Deputy Speaker. Its funny the kind of stupefying figures these
guys have wacked in the face of hunger, indeed leaving Plateau better.
Last week
the Jethro Akum led State PDP circus claimed there was an attempted
assassination on his person and he fingered the Governor and his
government. On one hand who wants to kill such an inconsequential,
however do you blame him for a Governor turned boxer can box anything. I
spoke to the EFCC man who was hurt and he claimed the governor punched
him on the stomach, eyewitness account to the drama and the policemen
attached to the governor while being interrogated confessed same. As I
write this, the Governor’s security details have been withdrawn, these
one wonders what special thing is achieved by such withdrawals, when
there scores of youths willing to be drafted in as protem body guards.
What is happening on the Plateau is more by design than accident. It is
a reflection of our larger society because when we sit and watch and
believe someho w things would change, we only would wake in our folly to
realise nothing has changed, only things have been “bettered” the Joshua
Dariye way.
It is
mind puzzling that we have the kind of lawyers or counsels who weigh
money above morals and sanctity of interigity and decency, if not which
sane lawyer wants to take the case of damages incurred due to the State
of emergency. Our thieves I meant leaders never cease to marvel me, one
of the reasons Alams made his James Bond move according to him was
because the budget was something too big for the Deputy Governor to
handle. Sadly, not that I want to draw controversy, Plateau nay
Nigerians are one of the most docile peopl e; we fight for religion, for
tribe, for money, for all things from the really foolish to the slightly
wise. But we are yet to learn the act of fighting or paying the ultimate
sacrifice for our right to good leadership, freedom of speech, right to
life and such. That is where a Governor, a Senator, President, common
Local Government Chairman keeps lying to us, because they see the amount
of foolishness the populace displays.
With the
visit of the EFCC’s commando’s, the State was brought to her knees, thus
the impression that every government official in the State is a thief
(doubt they are not), the State Accountant General was arrested on his
first official assig nment. Ironically on his trip to go bring Plateau’s
share of the national cake “subvention”
As I
write I am pained because I recall Plateau the sweet, Plateau the pride
of all that was good and nice, it stood for everything the old Nigeria
was, peace, fairness, economic progress e.t.c. Those days when
travelling to Jos, you were told to expect to see white people in local
restaurants because they were everywhere, the weather was…infact it was
Nigeria’s little London. You could not expect to sweat in Jos. The state
was cold and cool, the Jos main market popularly called Terminus market
was about the best and cleanest in West Africa. But how fast times and
things changed and unfortunately negatively too. The market since 2001
got burnt the reconstruction contract has been awarded three times to
three different firms and money paid out three times with several
kickbacks yet by 2007 Dariy e would have left the government House
better than he met it.
Since
1999, the present Joshua Dariye led administration like its mother the
Obj PDP disaster, nothing is on ground to show for all the monies the
administration has expended. Like someone rightly noted much as
neighbouring Adamu’s Nassarawa State has not done anything but compared
to Plateau, Nassarawa, which is Plateau’s baby, has done wonders. The
other day in a paid advert the crook of a Deputy Senate President
included GSM as part of his senatorial achievement very laughable.
Because even in his home village Mangu, you still have to climb hills
and trees to have anything close to full signal and he brags that as an
achievement. If only he had included the many Ghana must go bag
arrangement he has co-ordinated between the Presidency and the National
Assembly. It is only in Nigeria that a politician for promising to
eradicate mosquitoe s can hardly provide a sachet of malaria tablet and
yet he would proud his ability to eat three-square meal as an
achievement.
Like I
noted in an essay months back all these wheel deals of political
bragadoism of all the camps is not doing the Plateau State any good nor
the nation at large. Probably only third to both Lagos and Aba, Plateau
former home of tourism is now home to dirt, disorderliness and confusion
like all such cities no plan is in place as gradually those nail biting
traffic jams of Lagos are now appearing in the state. Cross Rivers has
taken the tag of tourism from her.
Initially
after the six months of emergency rule. Many had thought the Governor
would come back fully charged to make amends, serve the people,
reconcile with political foes, however the reverse is the case. The
looting of Plateau his continued with a rubber inshort paper Stamp State
House of Assembly not much has changed. One of the many lies of under
development is that of the State bein g one of the most indebted State
that is a festive mood lie-a man drunk at a party in May telling you its
December.
Very
often not I have blasted Obasanjo however Plateau State like many are
being underdeveloped by own people. The CEO that the people (s) elected,
we have thief’s that have legitimised their act throug h immunity.
Every
thing is wrong on the Plateau the first fraud of the Dariye
administration was re-awarding the already started road construction in
all senatorial districts than he went full gear in dealing with all
those who served the Chris Ali led interlude (typical of Nigerian
leaders) it was sack galore. As at my last count since his escape from
London the Governor had still and was still acquiring properties, 16 of
them so far , so me Governors before they leave in 2007 would have
bought their various government houses and then rent or lease it back to
the State.
Do I hate
the Governor, no, but I cannot stick senseless leaders that mount on
popular opinion to power and then become foolish with power and
resources. The Plateau experiment in democracy like many other States is
that of an accidental discharge, a monumental error. States are now
presenting what I called the “Billion Naira Budget” era billion in this
state, billion in the other, yet no one can show what has been done with
the past billions.
The
battle of twos and threes in virtually all the States has made sure the
masses suffer as all camps expend huge resources in propaganda and
rejoinders. When the head certainly has decayed not much can be remedied
from the body. When an ear refuses to hear then cutting it off might
just be the most appropriate action. By 2007 many States of Nigeria
would have been left by their various CEO ‘better’ than they met it.
What use is a candle if it cannot provide light? I hope our Governors,
and leaders in general know that if they are unaccountable to fellow
man…Almighty Allah is watching.
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