Politics on Points : Governor tends to Care A lot When Promises are Broken

The unique role of selecting or electing a governor without knowing its meaning, reality and possible practicable impact on the masses calls for greater attention. If not why will a Governor pay salaries as its primary duty, still be considered an achievement ?  Why will a Governor’s visitations from Mosque to Church be seen as an major project, when a  state Governor in another state, in the same country is establishing and completing thirty three (33) industries first tenure and second still counting  and heaven does not move?

 This is where we goofed as a people beginning from the day the political officer was elected or selected. It is only people who are seriously bereft of the ideas of the basic  tenets of democracy that will see a Governor performing its primary responsibility or providing basic rights (amenities) as privileges/achievement. We should not judge or evaluate actions that are on the selfish side of fairness.

 A leader is not the same as leadership. The mechanism to elect a leader without the risk of endless litigation or court cases, public outcry or backlash when the result is not delivered must be clearly stated. Look! Governance built on sound leadership, integrity, equity, participation of the people and truly people centred has no religion, ethnic colouration or political party.

A Governor is the state highest ranking leader, elected official, the chief executive,  chief security and law officer. The role of governors and all other organs of Government conferred with Executive Powers are provided under Chapter 10, sections 13-18 of The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and broadly articulates the followings;  

• Promotion of democracy and social justice in the State

• Promotion of security and welfare of citizens as the primary purpose of Government.

• Promotion of the participation of the people in their governance, and in accordance with the Constitution

• Promotion of inclusive governance that embrace diverse sections of the citizens, and that respect their cultural diversity and belief systems.

• Promotion of the integration of all peoples of the State, devoid of any form of discrimination

• Provision of adequate facilities, goods and services that improve the well-being of all citizens

• Elimination of all forms of corrupt practices and abuse of power

• Promotion of State economy and efficiency in such a manner as to secure maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of all citizens

• Promotion of planned and balanced economy to ensure equity in the distribution of resources to all citizens, and the decentralization of the means of production and exchange in the control of many citizens.

• Provision of adequate shelter, food, resources, wages, education and health facilities to all citizens, including those with special needs.

• Provision of easily accessible, independent and impartial Court of Justice, etc

At the conventional morality principles, politicians like Governors cannot be trusted to keep their promises. A promise is an action with moral implications. There are broken promises that touch a chord of sadness. It is not about the one clearly enshrined in the constitution earlier mentioned. It is rather about the one a political officer vying for an office like Governor made by him/herself. People tend to evaluate such a political player in two general dimension : how interpersonally warm, passionate about the people such a leader seem to be, and how competent he or she seems to be. The best way to give support to such a leader to deliver on both without going overboard is to make manifesto promises at the political party level. The people must buy into the person and personality of the political officer first before the party interest. 

Personality politics is the first port of call in considering a political candidate for an election as Governor per se. The content of the character of a candidate needs to be examined to ascertain whether he or she can do a lot of things quicker, faster, and better and address all challenges attached to a confluence State. He or she should be able to rebrand and re-position the state for now or future opportunities that abound. He or she should be able to recalibrate the economy of the state and make it competitive for the local and International competitiveness. Such a Governor or Governess (to be) should be able to expand economic base to create more private sector jobs. Because  infrastructural deficit across sectors needs private capital to fund it in terms of public- private partnership. 

The Governor or Governess (to be) should be able to adopt public solution to solve public matters. And not the reverse as it is often the  case. A scenario where a Governor begins to use private solution to remedy public matters. The potential of attending to the poorest of the poor will be remembered only at the expiration of his or her tenure. Such a political officer will be interested in long term project rather than short term counterparts  - in health, education etc that has direct bearing on the lives of the electorate positively. 

The fact that human beings do not value their own word must be one of the biggest reasons the world is not all sunshine and rainbows. Democracy comes with a baggage of demands in openness, individual rights  and transparency. The extent a Governor succeeds in performing his or her role is dependent on the quality of programs, the nature of person or personality possessed and party manifestos articulated. Above all, it is dependent on the dedicated professional team available  to the governor, the existing bureaucracy and the integrity and drive behind a total leadership. No successful role of a Governor is without its challenges. However, it must be anchored on the delivery of good governance. 

A leader who becomes generous over night with no precedent or antecedent is questionable, laughable and a show of shame during campaign, before election and thereafter. The decision of Governor Yaya Bello to visit Mosque and Churches is his primary responsibility not achievement. Conventional wisdom holds that such right  move at the wrong time strengthen harmonious relationship and peaceful coexistence among the citizenry. It is also an ample opportunity to make restitution, ask God for forgiveness for failing to carry out his responsibility. It is an indication that kogites especially State Civil servants, pensioners dead or alive and family members  should find a place in their heart to forgive him, and will not be owed salaries in coming months ? 

One of the cardinal promises of Governor Yaya Bello was prompt payment of full salaries to workers and pensioners money. However, there are move by the state government to cut salaries Besides the payment of salaries, the entire Kogi civil servants are looking up to Governor Yahya Bello to consider payment of their 30 percent balance from August to December 2017 salaries and other arrears, annual increments, promotion cash-backing and leave bonuses, all of which were last implemented about eight years ago. Worse  still is the deaf ears attention giving to next of kin of the deceased pensioners not paid their allawance long before the demise of the breadwinners of the family who retired voluntary. Some left service with great level 16 , a rare feat a governor cannot achieve in eight years (8) in office.

“Above all, is the immediate implementation of the N30,000 (New Minimum Wage) approved for all workers since April last year by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration".

Campaign promises are often made in the heat of the moment. They are sound bytes, aimed at gaining positive media coverage. Once in office, governor often find that reality often doesn’t fit the promise. The election of successive leaders to meet the logical demands of good governance must be guided by specific core values and not just a wish list. Core values capable of converting the talent and energy of the young ones for the good of the state – technology, transportation, Health , Agriculture, Education, entertainment, sports and so on. 

A politician like Governor tends to care a lot when promises are broken, and so those examples get a lot more attention than do the ones that are redeemed, which often can seem by the time they are finally acted on as foregone conclusions, not news. 

- Attai Stephen Inah, Columnist, Koginfo