Reports of recurring mob attacks on Governor Yahaya Bello’s motorcade is a clear signal to the New Direction government in Kogi state of its woeful and abysmal performance.
In recent history, there is no antecedent of guerilla mob attacks of the current scale against any governor of the state across its three senatorial districts. This apparently is a reaction of the biggest social and economic complications resulting in absolute frustration the people across social and economic stratification have been subjected by the government that prides itself ‘digital government’.
It is not surprising that Gov. Bello’s Media team would continue denying and playing down reports of sustained attacks against their principal and they would never cease labeling the attackers as common criminals, ethnic divisionists, thugs, kidnappers, and all kinds of names they chose to label them.
But how long would they continue manipulating the glaring fact that this attacks are as a result of monumental failure of the government leading to colossal frustration resulting in the sustained spontenuos guerrilla style attacks on the governor’s motorcade?
The New Direction government ignoring all indices of a dismally failed government still parades itself as the best government Kogi state has had since its creation. This is a sharp contradiction of a well known fact in public domain even to the least discerning mind in the state and beyond. The people of Kogi state have never had it this rough. For months workers have not been paid their wages, all government owned schools have been shut for several weeks and still counting with no sign of bright light at the end of the tunnel.
The propagandists and sycophants styled as commissioners and advisers whose responsibilities it is to formulate policies that improve welfare of the people are fully abreast of the excruciating reality of the moment but continue rating the New Direction government high in its imaginative excellent performance rather than proffer expert policies. They do not have much blame because just like their principal they were conscripted into government and are confused and incapacitated by lack of ideas because they were never prepared for the monumental task of governance.
Kogi state stands today on extreme edge of a ‘New Direction’ – the new direction of uncertain opportunities and danger. A new direction of failed social and economic dreams and threats.
Kogi state today is a victim of multiple misfortune – the national economic recession and its biting impacts and the deliberate hardship imposed on the people in home land- Kogi state by the New Direction government.
However, the series of jungle scare attacks against Gov. Bello is totally unacceptable in a sane, just and civilized democratic society. This is because there is a clearly lay down legal procedure of fighting democratic injustice and ineptitude.
The legal way of taking on the failed Gov Bello administration is the voluntary or otherwise mobilization of men and women, girls and boys, old and young from Okene the home land to Ankpa, Idah to Kabba and Lokoja to Basa taking positions on the streets demanding a sacred cause – the preservation of ideal democratic governance. Try it. It works. The government cannot push the security agents to point their guns against all of us because if they do all of us will die and they would be no one left to be governed. They will not turn bullets against us because the whole world will be watching and they will not abandon us. But block gov Bello motorcade in isolated town and you will surely face the brutal bullets of the over zealous and unprofessional security agents who take pleasure in unlawful killing of fellow compatriots.
In this dark days of our state life collective effort and united voice is what we need. A leadership of frankness and vigor, experience and understanding is required and support of the people themselves which is fundamental to good governance.
– Gideon Amedu writes from Abuja.
Contact: gidensamedu@gmail.com
