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What Manner of Governors By Abbas A. Dikko
To say the least, whoever think, the eight years of democratic experiment in Nigeria under the leadership of Obasanjo was not a ruse, his brain needs to be examine by medical expert. Our political and ruling class learnt nothing beside manipulation of the electoral process, mismanagement and fraud, encumbrance to the rule of law and good governance, and total insensitivity to the unveiling issues at hands.
The citizenry, gain nothing beside harvest of political thugs, political nonentity, abuse of their persons and collective intelligence, mix-fillings and discontent, home breakage and other abuses among many more.
One continue to wonder, what political education or development we acquired in the last dispensable eight hard years of democratic adventures. Imagine some of the present governors, their aides and associates, whom most or all of them knew the stage-managed manner they were returned elected as governors of their various states by Iwu/ Obasanjo, security operatives and the instrumentality of INEC, are today handling the affairs of not only their states, but personal selves.
What can one say of a governor whose educational qualification is being put to test and scrutiny by the way and manner he personally submitted and filed same with the authority constitutionally empowered to screen, clear, conduct and declare free and fair election result and the winners therein? The academic qualifications read as follows: Attended Kings Commercial College, Buguma --- 1964 (non existence), WEAC Certificate --- 2001, LLB degree, Abuja University, Abuja (non existence) ---2003. Yet, he was given a clean bill by INEC, contested and won election as governor of Kogi State in 2003 and 2007 respectively.
How do one classified same governor whose election was faulted and voided by the election petition tribunal, but, he went all over his state sponsoring solidarity rallies, visits and all forms of celebrations to convince the world that, he garnered the simple majority and popular support of his people. Could not this be a display of insensitivity and ineptitude on the legal implication on why his election was annulled and the polity generally?
His case in question is not about simple majority, support and popularity from his people, but, legitimacy and legality. First, there was perjury, punishable by imprisonment and secondly, there was violation of the electoral acts, hence, the constitution for exclusion of a candidate’s party and its logo in the ballot paper of the governorship election of April 14, denying him his right to contest the election, which no doubt is good enough a reason to annul anybody’s election.
In Adamawa State of the North east, there was this similar occurrence. The election petition tribunal sitting in Yola, voided the election of Murtala Nyako as the governor elect of the state based on; illegal disqualification and exclusion of AC candidate mid-way into the counting of the votes cast at the April 14, governorship election by INEC. Few days later, there were these forms of sponsored solidarity rallies and visits as a show of support and test of popularity for the governor. All these are unwarranted and far from reality and does not call for wasteful spending.
Yobe State was equally in the band wagon, the Inguru Traditional Council, paid a similar solidarity visit to the governor, confirming their support when he still has a pending case at the court in Jos, all for what benefits? Only God knows.
Their problems, if I understood the legal contents well, were not wither voted or not voted, rigging or nor rigging, winning or nor winning the elections, except that of Kogi State which is a double jeopardy. These cases are completely different things put together, so, why are they so encumbered with the realties glaringly at hands? Organizing rallies and solidarity visits in whatever nature or form may not informed the legal decision of the courts to their favours.
And, what makes or do they think, the world of educated people and consciously developed political community, would perceived them. Isn’t this more of passing judgements on selves, convincing the political class, legal luminaries, opinion leaders, and of course, the Nigerian people of their lack of knowledge of the current unfolding political and legal evolution of this time?
Leadership, is not only about income and expenditure, which even a novice can administer, it incorporate; political and legal education, corporate and good governance, social responsibility and societal reorientation to make the environment a better place for all and sundry. These are facts and figures that are adversely affecting our system and ingloriously, the immediate past administration of Obasanjo, immensely contributed to the underdevelopment and collapsed of these sectors.
This again, affected the psycho of our ruling and political class which became one among the derailments the Yar’Adua Presidency is working tirelessly to straighten, while these same governors remain resistantly beholden to this class of political demagogue. What manner of governors are these people, could they be what Aliyu Tilde in one of his write up’s described the former states executives as governors without borders?
The worst classes of people that are fanning this nonentity are their associates and aides, who no nothing besides encouraging unwarranted and wasteful expenditure under the guise of garnering support and supporters for them. It no doubt became a source, which without; their means of survival would be put to jeopardy. They are closer to the larger segment of the society; in other words, they mingle in the mist of the civil society, people of the bench, opinionates, public commentators and the common man. That equally makes them precisely aware the of the realities on ground, they hear and listen to all forms of complaints, observations and comments from the generality of the populace, but, that never informed their minds the supposed and positives advises, they should give to their lords.
Their routines in trade are no other than; blackmail, sycophancy, bootlicking, deceit and deception against both the populace and their bosses for the simpler reason that, that is what interest and impress our leaders. Another disaster that has eating deeply into our fabrics is, “relevancy factor”, this has become a cankerworm, nightmare and brain retardation. The political classes are ready to serve and remain in the system at whatever capacity, execute any ungodly assignment or dirty job for paltry rewards.
Other area of concern is our professionals and experts; seasoned and successful farmers, renowned medical experts, engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, corporate managers name them, have all or are fleeing their professions hence, the contributions therein to building this Nation to politics, because, it has become a lucrative business and get rich quick. One is never against this backdrop, because, it is their constitutional rights, but, even in the system, they have comprised their professionalism and expertise, found in all sorts of acts and disgruntle ness.
This, therefore, has eroded the essence of democracy, leadership and good governance. Positive advises, popular and peoples oriented policies and programmes anchored towards repositioning the system in conformity with the world civil order, has been completely bastardized. And, the resultant effect is the present negation in the system, the Nation is experiencing, which gave birth to the recent abracadabra these governors are displaying now.
They became completely consumed by power and office spoils, blindfolded, lost foresight, focus and direction that make them easily submissive to the idea of sponsoring rallies and solidarity visits with the belief that would predicate the verdicts of the judges in the Appeal courts to their sympathy and favour. That indeed, is not law and it reminds us the position of President Yar’Adua with regards to his statement, “vox populi”, which became argumentative by the different quotas.
However, the response of Comrade Adams Oshimole when he was cornered by a press man about what could he say or foresaw in the Presidency of Yar’Adua, considering the fact that, Obasanjo was instrumental to his ascension to power? His immediate reaction therein was, two characters are never the same, he believes there are going to be changes, which are quite in the offing for one to even mention. Therefore, Saidu Usman Dakin-Gari, the governor of Kebbi, a state in the North western part of Nigeria, could be said to replicate this saying and action.
Indeed, he deserved commendation for not toeing the line of incongruity as was the case with those his colleagues that are facing similar election tussle. Soon after his election was voided by the tribunal, his first reaction was appealing for peace, calmness and understanding amongst his people, thereafter, he settles down to the business of governance being the mandate given to him by his subjects.
And, taking a careful assessment of the cases in contention, his case in question, is different from the rest. At least the tribunal confirmed that there was election and he won, but, what remains his debacle were the days he joined the party (PDP). So, in essence, one can quietly deduce that, he was able to muster the necessary simple majority and popularity from his citizenry, his se-back, was not his creation, but that of his predecessor for whatever reason(s), best known to Aleiro. More so, his innocence can simply be established, but unfortunately, he was joined along side the alleged culprits of the electoral sham of April 2007, which in Law, I am afraid, it may not garner him any reservation, too unfortunate and sorry for his political success.
For the masses that their services were sorted and utilized for this nonsensical, so long they continue to offer themselves for this classical abuse of their persons and intelligence, the authority in question, would continue to marginalize and manipulate the system against their whim, wishes and caprices. Instead of the authority to evolve strategies that would pave way for jobs and wealth creation in order for them to live a proper life and be responsible citizens, they would rather live them under the peril of penury to continue to emasculate them and at the end, remain their subservience.
One fact they again need to know, the monies expended for this inglorious bazaars, is their hard earn resources. Millions of naira is being doll-out for this incongruous activity(s), unfortunately, only pea-nuts got to their pockets with the substantial part the amount being cornered by few individuals for their betterment and that of their immediate families. Therefore, the need for them to resist this dastardly temptation, the better for all and the system to regain its lost glories, here, let me as well, quote the statement of president Yar’adaua, that for this country to move away from ruination and vagaries of old stone age, barbarism and underdevelopment to conform with modern states and technology, we must subject our acts, behavior and conduct in line with the existing rules and regulations enshrined in our body system.
Meanwhile, let me as well; use this opportunity to draw an analysis of the current unfolding political impasse in Niger State. However, the driving force for taking this cause was, the news I read in the Daily Trust newspaper of Mon. Dec. 3, 2007, page 6 at the bottom left that, Gov. Aliyu Mu’azu Babangida, threatens to resign, if Gen. Ibrahim B. Babangida and Gen. Abdul-salam Abubakar, refuse to intervene. This indeed is quite interesting, one can now vividly see and adjudge that, eight years of democracy in Nigeria, under the leadership of Obasanjo, was nothing, but a waste and zero achievements of whatever dimension.
No political, economic and social consciousness neither development, not only the masses, even the educated, ruling nor political elites understood the parity between military regime and democracy. Imagine a governor acclaimed to be elected by majority votes, threatening to throw-in the towel because of opposition, seeking the intervention of the two prominent sons of the state or he would abandon the mandate so cherish and claimed to have gotten from his people.
I stand to be corrected, but, the home front crises the governor is entangled in, was his own creation. In short, he is the designer, architect and orchestrate of the combine litigation against his mandate, immediately he was sworn-in, he discarded the political class and the politicians that stage-managed his success to glory, he became ill-advised by even the elites he is desiring now for assistance, that not good enough, he went further to champion what one can describe as actions in dispute with the expectations of his people, which no doubt became his nemesis.
Remedies to this problem if or not too let, are for him to embrace simple majority system, respect to the yearnings and aspirations of his people, implore decorum and civility in the conduct of the state craft absorbed pressure and opposition of whatever coloration. That would make him dogged, a democrat and a leader of sterling qualities, either now or in the near later future.
In place of calling for these prominent personalities intervention, which is unfashionable and undemocratic, he should imbibe in him the all inclusive style of IBB administration, diplomacy, generosity, civility, compassion, politicking and political skewed-ness as additional ingredients to blend his administration. Leadership in democratic set-up anywhere in the world, is not easily acquired unlike in the public and private sectors or military dispensation, if gotten; it is not easy to manage. The terrain is quite murky, the challenges internally and externally; legality, dissenting voices and sometimes, what ones brain can not even comprehend are quite enormous, but, they form the condiments that shape the leadership and the system.
Therefore, Gov. Aliyu Mu’azu Babangida, needs to open off to accommodate new barriers and frontiers as a saving grace or if he luckily survives nullification, his government may still be mar by these blocs of political class and politicians surrounding him left, right and center. Embracing retired civil servants and colleagues that lack political shrewdness and brinksmanship in managing his political success and administration, could be catastrophic. Good luck and God bless.
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