By Tunde Abatan, tunde2013abatan@gmail.com 08165660217
We are in the season of Politics. Not that our politicians have always been on holiday but because season of election is here .
It is during this period of election cycle when they go round cajoling,begging and deceiving the people, ‘their ‘people to come out on election day to renew the mandate given them to determine their life and living.
For politicians,empty promises and lie is sacred during election period as we are in Nigeria.
Frankly Speaking From G5 to Integrity:The choices before the ‘rebel’ governors
It is a period when emotions turn to sentiments to get the symphathy of those they never thought of since the last election cycle .
Since election cycle comes every four years in Nigeria, it is a moment of desperation when emotions and excuses often flies in the face of reality of the moment.
Hence, to the wise in Nigeria,the present accusation and counter -accusations between the Presidency and Governors on one side and between the two and local government administration on the other side is deceptive and diversionary.
For the Presidency,the salvo fired by Rivers Governor, Nyesome Wike that his counterparts in the oil rich South South have not made good use of the N1.7 trillion derivation fund collected by them to serve their people well unlike him, has put the remaining five governors of the South South oil producing states in the defensive.
Some of them have been forced to come out to reel out figures and not projects.
For Wike, still basking in the euphoria of man of the moment for standing up against his denial of the vice presidential slot, drawing attention of his SS people to what his fellow governors have received is akin to forcing the later to his side to fight those he believes have not done him well.
He is also curiously doing the fighting job for the Presidency which belongs to the ruling party he is now surreptitiously at bed with.
That the governors like Delta, Edo,Cross Rivers which are ruled by opposition People’s Democratic Party,PDP,should come out and tell their people what they have done with derivation fund is putting them in the defensive while giving advantage to President Buhari and his party on whose head lies the pervading poverty now ravaging the land.
Why not,the APC has 21 state governors.
To Nigerians now,the axim that the more you earn the better your condition is the reverse.
How come,poverty is ravaging the land on all fronts in spite of promises which remains unfulfilled since 2015.
Since then,no new Refinery has been built in spite of promises while living and even dying has become more expensive.
But then,the response of the 36 state governors to accusation by Minister of state for Finance,Budget and National Planning,Clement Agba who fired the salvo that governors are eating local government funds is instructive.
It is instructive because none of the governors most of who are in the APC who responded through the governors forum Director General, Abdulazeez Bello-Barkindo that Buhari and his cabinet got it all wrong, is instructive.
They are all unanimous in pushing the blame on Buhari whose economic and security policies they faulted.
Not even the 21 APC governors were left out of telling Buhari and his cabinet that contrary to his accusations against them of misdirecting their energy on projects that did not add life to the people,he is more liable for failure to implement good economic and security policies.
They told Buhari that his economic policies determines and has agrravated poverty and unemployment.
That they also told him that his security policies has failed is reflection of what Nigerians have always believed.
Now that the two are talking of apparent failures is enough challenge and tonic for the electorate and by extension voters to do the needful to both the governors,national assembly members and Presidency itself when February comes.
Afterall, there are parties that have not tasted power since 1999.
Shouldn’t the people consider an alternative?
Many questions begging for answer?
On Local Government Administration:
Ordinarily, local governments are closer to the people. They are the people the talakawas relate direct to.
Yours truly indeed never knew any government in the early 60s and 70s but the local government which parades health inspectors otherwise known as Wole,wole, who in their big bowler caps visit our compounds, inspect our water pots to rid us of water borne diseases,mosquitoes etc..
Then, it was the local government which has the duty of running primary health centres-clinics,dispensaries and even local education boards.
Councillors are known,as they are the closest to the people contrary to today when most and indeed yours truly has ever met the councillor representing his local abode. They are more seen in their councils and drinking joints!
Then, Commissioners and Governors only show faces during routine ceremonial and familiarisation visits when we were made to line up the streets, and joyfully wave the national flags to receive them.
Today,governors now commission bore holes…..I never heard of bore holes throughout my school days as water taps run in our compounds or nearby.
Today,the clean water taps have been displaced by bore holes that never function beyond six months!
Our visits to General hospitals are mainly for secondary ailments the clinics and dispensaries cannot treat well.
Where has our councillors,local government Chairmen gone?
They are seen more in the offices of commissioners, governors who hold their purse under the guide of state local government joint account!
If Governors are angry that Buhari exposed their yantch for hijacking local government funds and since they don’t want to dispense control of LGs,why not make sure they perform their duties.
Why must local government Chairmen frequent governor’s office more than their constituencies?
Whatever happens to annual budget presentations by local government Chairmen to their people based on their revenue both internally sourced and monthly federal allocations?
Why are states and federal lawmakers;Sustainable Development Goals SDGs offices building bore holes, constructing schools, clinics and dispensaries when such are better done by local councils that knows the priority of the people.
Yes, local administration encourages federalism.
But why are the governors intent on holding the councils and kicking against autonomy being vigorously pursued by vice President Yemi Osinbajo? .
Why have the governors continue to hold joint account and control local budget?
Construction of local and inner street roads are better done by local contractors who indirectly impact local and macro economy as locals are employed to carry out the contracts.
Why should states hijack all projects even street naming,radio and television licenses when such are better done by councils?
It is apparent that state governors reluctance to let go but continue to maintain stranglehold on local government is more informed by their motive to control political direction and fortunes than social and economic well being of the people whose vote they use to get elected and renew their mandate.
Poverty is more in the rural areas because money to improve rural lives are pocketed by governors who are local Emperor’s in their state.
Besides,projects that are better implemented by local contractors are awarded to ‘foreign’ and urban based contractors who only dispense their proceeds among the ruling elite.
The more they control the politics,administration and economy of the local councils both in urban and rural areas,the more the poverty rate continue to rise .
This is because,most state governments are focused on urban development where their ‘performances’ are seen.
Today, more people live in rural local governments than urban areas where esoteric projects are cited by governors with itching fingers.
Only a change in the system and psyche of the impoverished populace can improve their lives.
The politicians live for themselves alone.
