A blogger, Abubakar Musa, has cried
out for protection, alleging that he has come under intense death threats for
writing a critical article on Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State.In a statement sent to the media,
Musa stated that freedom of speech is now threatened in Kaduna State in view of
the hatred of criticism of the governor by his associates. As evidence, he cited various text
messages in Hausa that he received from an anonymous number—08107875202—warning
him from comments against Yero.
Musa said, “It is rather unfortunate
that certain elements, at State and Federal levels, are bent on taking anyone
that dares to ask questions or demand explanations regarding certain
misadventures happening within their ranks. What we witnessed during the
military era is fast resurfacing even as we claim to be practicing democracy.
They’ve decided, in their usual manifestation, to attack the messenger rather
than tackle the message.
“Within the faithful days of August
23rd to 25th, I wrote an article that was widely published and circulated by
various platforms on the executive governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Mukhtar
Yero and his leadership style. While the article contained lots that the
government should have cared to address, they’ve decided to throw spit at me.
On Thursday, I received a call at about 10:30pm by a certain unknown number
threatening to get me eliminated if I do not resist attacking their governor.
Though the caller spoke in Hausa language, but I perceived a sense of deep
literacy within his utters. Yesterday, Friday 11th October, 2013 at about
5:10pm, I got two text messages, one in English and the other in Hausa,
threatening me as well (see pictures). Both messages confirmed what I was told
by the caller the previous night. Initially, I was tempted not to report to any
security agency because of the lackluster level of our security agents in
handling investigative cases.
But after consultations with various individuals,
we decided to report to the nearest security outfit. Well, the threat was done,
by whoever it was, to have me and my likes take our battle guns of challenging
mediocre government down. But I will wish to inform them that the battle has
just begun.”
Musa stressed that government is not
supposed to be a personal affairs, and that citizens must ask questions.
“We must demand for answers and criticize,
though constructively, we must not fail to do. My life belongs to no one but
Almighty God, their threats and tactics of sabotaging progressive efforts will
never work. I remain loyal and committed to seeing a responsible government
that will have the interests of everyone at heart.”
Below is the article.
The Kaduna
State Governor Is A Classic Example of How Not To Govern
By
Abubakar
Musa
Contrary to varied intuitive
understanding of ‘godfatherism politics’ as a discourse of division, some argue
that it’s also a discourse of integration, serving to bring the allies closer
to each other. The fundamental logic of such politics, considered a Schmittian
game of telling friends from enemies, makes betrayal an unpardonable crime and
the traitor the worst kind of enemy.
Yet at the same time, betrayal, in
politics of godfatherism, acknowledges an intimacy that existed prior to the
act of betrayal: an intimacy that must be denounced and, even, at times, held
in disgust. During the era of late governor Patrick Yakowa, while he and many
of his followers worried about being betrayed by his staunch allies and he was
at the risk of exiting the bowl of power, then deputy governor, Yero never
understood betrayal as a political risk. Eight months after being sworn as the
governor of Kaduna State, by circumstances of death and destiny, governor Yero
now has a new definition for betrayal as ‘political risk’, at least through his
actions.
It’s glaringly obvious that our dear
governor is confusing reality with imagination.
The events that unfolded over
the last eight months led me to reflect on how an imaginary crisis can be
productive, for it means imagining an alternative history that bears on
political reality. The events — both political and otherwise –depressing-esque
meshing of political suspense and sub-plots, also revealed the sort of risky
connections between fantasy and politics that could put real lives at risk.
While Yero’s era as deputy governor can be regarded as political fantasy, eight
months into his tenure as governor, he’s yet to come to terms with the
political reality bestowed on him.
It’s this confusion, with no end in
sight, that triggered my much laid down sense of demand and accountability. In
this era of political correctness, no doubt, many will argue that it’s too
early to judge a governor whose tenure can still be regarded as a ‘baby’ one.
Our mediocre value construct of offering a time frame as an excuse for failure
always beats my imagination. Real men handle institutions of power from the hour
authority falls on them.
For those familiar with Kaduna State,
in a context of charity, it should be a municipal too easily to govern with
real men at the helm of affairs. For a state that’s well structured post
independence, one would’ve imagined by now, the expansion levels of Kaduna
should be at par with that of Lagos State. However, from 1999 to date,
juxtaposed with the resources generated regularly and the accrued Federal
Government allocations, one is right to say nothing has been achieved in moving
the state forward — infrastructurally and economically. The only aspect well
established is that of corruption — birthing godfatherism and sycophancy.
It will be a sheer act of hypocrisy
not to acknowledge the efforts of former governor Ahmed Makarfi in providing
infrastructural development to rural areas during his era, even though little
can be said of the metropolis. When Namadi came on board, being an architect
himself, one would’ve expected him to compliment the efforts of his
predecessor. Regrettably, the parallels were too obvious for even a blind folk
to feel and differentiate. For the better part of his three years as governor,
there was hardly any substantial project of note, no matter how charitable one
intend to be to him. The only thing that characterized his short, yet
destructive spell was the propagation of an unrealistic millennium city
project. A project that remains as elusive as it’s illusive.
The coming of Patrick Yakowa, as
expected, signalled some levels of hope.
Though ours is a clime where
commencement of projects hardly defines its success rate, but at least, there
were some visible projects no matter how miniature, to point to. For the less
than two years he was in charge, Yakowa’s era wasn’t without its lapses.
However, the positives far outweighed the deficits until destiny played its
hand. Then came Ramalan Yero, whom many had thought, going by the circumstance
of his emergence, would continue with the projects started by his predecessor,
at least infrastructurally. Unfortunately, ever since his inauguration,
governor Yero had succeeded in ensuring the state attained a historical feat of
been the only state with four governors — three of whom are governing by proxy.
Some of the monumental achievements
of his first eight months included nominating his father to chair a board of a
federal neuro-psychiatric hospital in the state. For a system that will appoint
Salisu Buhari (Former Speaker, Federal House of Representatives), who forged
certificates to win an electoral position, to chair a governing council of a
federal university, appointing a governor’s father to chair any board is no
less a mediocre act. The 560 million naira subsidy reinvestment and empowerment
programme (SURE P) funds that disappeared without any sort of explanation
marked another turning point in defining the kind of government we had on
board. This was a sum meant, though without any rationale backing it, for
complimenting developmental projects.
While the state is yet to recover
from such abuses of human power exhibited by the governor, another naked
cynicism was displayed. Withdrawing state funds (estimated to be around 28bn
naira) meant for developmental projects in the name of paying the vice
President a certain debt the state is owing him is the highest form of
political rascality and leadership vulgarity.
One shouldn’t be surprised
because we are in a country where anything is possibile. Impossibility,
positively or otherwise, is never greeted with less paucity by must Nigerians.
From its inception, Yero’s
administration was one that never showed any clear sense of focus nor logical
direction, but corrosive servile form of flattery. It has been very slow and
inept from the word go. Worse still, even more slower and disconnected from the
masses as it matures daily. There has not been notable will and intention in
justifying the trust placed upon it by the ever reluctant and status quo
massaged state citizens.
The era of Yero, in the last eight
months, had succeeded in serving only the interests of godfathers and elites
within and outside the state. Most notable is the vice President who, aided by
non functional responsibility except attending cocktail parties and
commissioning of ghost projects, is always curiously interested in how a cent
is managed in the state account.
Supported by his lack of political
experience and weak disposition as a leader, the governor always succumbs to
whatever the demands of the vice President are, even if they mean milking the
state empty.
Recent happenings within the state
shows that the governor’s dad must endorse whatever proxy projects to be issued
for one to be sure of his guaranteed share of the jamboree. How low these
people have made governance and power intoxicate them is beyond one’s ability
to conceive. While states like Kano are putting eternal efforts to advance the
state in all areas, Kaduna, which many northern States previously looked up to,
is fast dwindling economically and infrastructurally. It’s an abuse of State
prowess to state here that as large a city as Kaduna is, there are only two major
dual road linkages.
The third , which billions had been
sunk into, is the Eastern bypass which is yet to be fully operational. Even the
minor dual roads not linking to other states are less available. For a city
that is long due for expansion and which the government, over the years, had
maintained a reluctant stand to attend to, the pseudo Lagos traffic that’s
becoming a permanent imperil in the city should be anything but surprising. The
few individuals that had showed the desire to expand the city hardly got any
government backing.
For example, there were new
government layouts at Barakallahu and Rigachikun areas of the State issued to
individuals by Makarfi’s administration, but when Namadi came on board,
together with the Nigerian Airforce authority, he contrived to claim the lands.
Till date, individuals’ properties worth billions are at their custody, denying
the city a chance to be de-congested and expanded for good. The story isn’t any
different today, as there are many instances of cases where the state
government would’ve impacted meaningfully, but have failed to do so on grounds
of visionless stand and satisfying the elitist class. It’s also the same in
Zaria and other suburbs of the state, if not even worse.
The furore that rocked the state assembly
over the last few weeks, leading to the speaker’s impeachment attempt, is
evidence of the crack within the top setup. Yes, the tenure may be young, but
the scandals already rocking it are typical manifestations of bleak days ahead.
However one may look at it, it’s high
time governor Yero got himself out of the stranglehold of Namadi’s tantrums.
Leadership and governance are not a family affair. He must free himself from
the intoxication his political godfather suffered from while in charge of the
state. If all that’s happening within the state, as others are claiming, though
not justifiable, are because his government is too young to get its acts
together, I wonder how long it will take him to start executing meaningful
projects.
There’s no better time for the
governor to carve his name in gold than now. But he must first realize the task
ahead of him and make himself a free civic entity. A word they say, is enough
for the wise.
Source: SAHARA REPORTERS
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