Kogi state is gradually becoming a caricature of good governance. Wherever you are coming from in Nigeria, as you enter into the boundary of Kogi state you breath in oxygen of Mal-administration and democratic neglect and breath out the carbon dioxide of a visionless and fraudulent government.
As at 2015, some years after the creation of the state, so many viable policies, programmes and projects were put in place by previous administrations, these despite their shortcomings which we can never rule out. All that Kogites needed from 2015 was a vibrant mechanism of government, a leadership apparatus, a vision and mission-filled democratic companion, syllabus and compass that will consolidate on the existing socio-economic cum political gains and possibly change or amend the impediments for a prosperous, development filled future. Unfortunately, the reverse has been the case.
The 2015 era ushered in what political analyst call the ‘dark ages or era of Kogi state development’. This is an era that ushered in an administration headed by Gov. Yahaya Bello. It is an era that witnessed and is witnessing a complete auto reverse in the socio-economic and political fortunes of the state. From the 2015 era where the people felt, to some extent, the presence of public primary, secondary and tertiary education, public primary health care, rural socio-economic development, to a post 2015 era of complete absence or non-functionality of the public school system, primary health care system and rural socio -economic development programmes and policies, thereby increasing illiteracy, infant/maternal mortality, poverty and hunger.
A government that inherited payment of percentage salaries, as alleged in some quarters, to a post 2015 state where salaries are not been paid extending to 24 months. A government that inherited substantial investment and policies in transportation, agriculture, health, economy and social infrastructural sub-sectors to a post 2015 state where the government of the day has successfully led these sectors to a near or complete comatose state.
In fact political analysts are asking about the presence and performance of the mechanism of government and governance in the state. From the 2015 era state were there was relative peace and security to a post 2015 era where killings, kidnapping and communal clashes has become the order of the day. The fact still remain that the reason for such an auto-reverse in the socio- economic cum political fortune of the state is not far fetched from three basic political analysis;
First, a governor/government that was not prepared for governance. It is a known fact that the Governor Yahaya Bello was hurriedly packaged and given the mandate to govern the state as a result of an un-natural event in the state political atmosphere. He was picked from a pool of rejected aspirants from APC. He was given the mandate in a hurry without going through the basic rudiment of socio- economic cum political administration. He, Yahaya Bello in turn hurriedly prepared a cabinet who were mostly nominated/sponsored to him by those who imposed him on the people of the state.
Majority of the Commissioners and special advisers lack the basic insight and knowledge about simple leadership and governance, hence, help the governor to plunge the state into further political era of mission-lessness and vision-lessness.
Secondly, the administration lacks the peoples’ legitimacy. For any government to function and gain the acceptability, recognition and respect of the people, it must first of all be voted in by the people. The concept of legitimacy which connotes acceptance is the umbilical cord that connect the Government and the people. Hence, any government that lacks legitimacy will encounter a relationship akin to that of a popular saying that says “if a step son uses water to wash hand before eating you will say he is wasting water, also if he refuse to wash hand before eating you will say he wants to eat with dirty hands”.
Moreover, no matter how sweet a meat is, once it is stolen it must have a sour taste. The case of Kogi state is a pure case of stolen mandate, hence, political abnormalities is expected.
Thirdly, Seeking for re-election without performance. When the administration came into power, the main pre-occupation of the administration was not serving the people but seeking for re-election. Instead of the administration to engage in projects and programmes that will endear the people to the government, it chose the part of directly opposing and fighting the people via direct confrontation, intimidation and arrest of opposition.
Workers and students were not left out of the bruhaha. There was a loss in commonsense and scale of preference in the operation of the government, as an activated commonsense would have told the governor and his clique that performance comes first before seeking for re-election. Re-election is a complete, and not fractional, product of performance.
As a solution for the government to get Kogi state working again, it must revamp or re-gig the system by replacing some of political appointees who have proven to be liabilities to the government as well the state as a whole. Also, the government should engage in people oriented policies and programes that will help reduce the hunger and poverty in the state.
Furthermore, the government should put in place a workable mechanism aimed at winning the legitimacy of the people not the use of propaganda and intimidation.
– Sam Enemama Akubor
