Democracy is said to be the best form of government that has successfully elevated man from the state of nature where every man is to himself; life was short and brutal, anarchy and reckless survival of the fittest was the other of the day.
Democracy is a system coined out by political thinkers like Abraham Lincoln to mean a system that was delivered on the premise of the consciousness and agreement by the people to elect representatives (a Government). Those elected will in turn provide them, most especially, their fundamental basic needs which include security, welfare services and other infrastructural facilities that will make life meaningful and of greater value. In fact it is solely based and viewed as a social contract between the governed and the government.
From the above, it is clear that the present administration in the Kogi state headed by Yahaya Bello is a negation of the principle, theories as well as the practice of democracy in totality. This because it is a government setup not by the consciousness or collective agreement by the people via a legally conducted election, but an artificial creation and imposition by the judiciary and that is why 98% of Kogites believe that it is a government with a stolen mandate. And just as the saying goes that “No matter how sweet a soup is, once it is stolen it must have a sour taste”.
The recent happenings in the state where opposition leaders are been framed up just because they expose the government’s intention to import arms and ammunition into the state to prosecute the 2019 election as well as the the recent killing in Dekina and Omala local government areas by Fulani herdsmen who where given support by the government shows how psychologically and politically unprepared the Yahaya Bello administration is to move the state forward to a more advanced citadel of development.
This a government that have no policy direction neither does it think of having one; an administration where lies, arrogance, fraud and mis-management has become the order of the day.
There is nothing to hide about the fact the the first over 16years of democratic regime can be termed as wasted year. From the era of late Prince Abubakar Audu, who showed a little attempt towards development, to the tsunami wasted years of Ibrahim Idris and Captain Wada.
With all the excess crude oil proceeds, internally generated revenues, Federal allocation etc, comfortable life for an average Kogites is a thing of misery for him as citizen are faced with poverty, hunger, disease and infrastructural decay and non- payment of salaries or payment of percentage salaries.
It is very pathetic that instead of the state to move from the era of wasted years in governance, we found ourselves in a more dangerous situation of what I termed ‘Years of damages in government’ which is headed by Yahaya Bello.
Instead of turning the fortunes, life and aspiration of Kogites around for good, he has successfully damaged and put a complete stop to the socio-economic and financial development of the state. A government that is visibly characterized by;
* non-payment of 12 months salaries, after receiving bailouts funds for the same
* complete dislocation of the vital socio- economic fabric of the state as vital sector of the state economic such as education, health, transportation,civil service are grounded or at comatose state
* no policy or programme on infrastructural and socio- economic revamping of the state, unless popularity seeking inflated contracts, scattered all around the state.
* high level of human and material insecurity.
* non- tolerance of opposition. etc
The government in it damaging drive forgot to at least apply damage control measures, thereby exposing the state and its inhabitants to chronic poverty hunger and disease.
For the first time the dynamic, professional and progressive mechanism of governance is been handled by quacks imposed on the people by the judiciary.
The only option left is for all Kogites to play a beautiful democratic music with their PVCs come 2019 so that democracy, as a concept and way of governance, can come and display its dance steps of progress and development in our land.
Lugard House must be dis-infected!
– Sam Enemama Akubor
