While Kogi State is trying to recover from the shock of the death of their illustrious son, Prince Abubakar Audu, APC governorship candidate, who won the governorship election that was declared inconclusive by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which now a subject of litigation at the state election tribunal upon the declaration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello winner after the supplementary election by the electoral umpire-INEC.
Though, the state is currently seeking for a level playing ground for amicable settlements with various political stakeholders on the standoff; was again engulfed with the impeachment battle of the State Assembly Speaker, where some principal officers of the hallowed chamber were attacked and their official vehicles mercilessly vandalized by suspected political thugs, which was a serious threat to the democracy of the state. The incident demonstrated the absolute power corrupt amongst our political leaders, who thinks more of themselves than the people and good governance.
The dangers these selected few in government posed, arrogating power to themselves and indulging in destructive tendencies with reckless abandon, shows a lack of democratic culture in our politics. It is worrisome and of a serious concern to the people that are already gaping for air under the harrowing condition of unpaid salaries for more than 4-months to the workers. This act of disloyalty in the management of the state affairs at this time of the dwindling federal allocation leaves a sore taste in the mouth of the people. The state economy has been exhausted, and in a malady of near absence of the critical infrastructure to propel meaningful development.
The government properties that are supposed to be well-secured as the pride of the state, are being destroyed and vandalized with the slightest provocation of political rancour, which diminishes the essence of democracy as posited by former President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln as the government of the people by the people and for the people. Democracy should be seen as a government that is free of injustice, violence and sustenance of the rule of law. It is expected that Nigeria’s political experience should assuage the democratic propensities to inspire enduring legacies.
Unfortunately, some mindless political leaders do not seem to care about the situation, but engaged in the murky water of politics, manipulating unemployed youths to perpetuate lawlessness. These fragrance misuses of the tax payers’ money by individuals in government bothers the people, and need to be timely nipped in the bud to avoid bad governance.
It is necessary that the state security agencies should swing into action and bring perpetrators to book after thorough investigation on the alleged attacks and ensure that criminals and their collaborators do not take undue access and advantage of promoting nefarious activities in the state.
Most importantly, the state assembly needs to enforce its code of ethics as an internal mechanism to check erring members from taking laws into their hands in achieving individual objectives of encouraging and promoting hooliganisms at the hallowed chamber in the state.
Nwuchiola, A. Vincent
08051802723 / 07037596180
