Bagudu’s reality governance

By Muhammed Yunusa Saleh

In its vital and flourishing principle, democracy as a system of governance vests virtually all the powers of decision making on the people for the betterment and development of their living standards. Here, the people and their welfare are the nerve centers of every democratic leader’s exploits and escapades in office. In advanced democracies, elites are very much aware of the dangers associated with wielding their perennial powers wildly and at the expense of the masses.
Down the pike, responsive and committed leaders know that unless they deliver on their campaign promises and except they leave the people happier than they met them; they stand the risks of being crushed at the polls.

So, every decision of a democratically elected government is made to reflect the needs of the people. Policy thrust, policy implementation, and project execution are done at the behest of the people with some level of probity and accountability.
In Nigeria, the relationship between the electorate and the elected is dangerously skewed in favour of the latter. Since 1999, many successive governments have been consistent in raping the nation and the masses of their shared patrimony where cronies and apologists control the narrative around leaders while the masses are left high and dry.

The high-trigger impunity at the corridors of power waxes strong and the electoral grab and win system seems to have emboldened the charlatans in power.
But the Jega revolution has returned some sanity to the process by relocating the power to decide back to its real owners- the masses. Even at that, Nigerian politicians develop willful selective amnesia; they tend to forget the source of their power the moment they are elected into office and the poor electorate are left to rue their chances.

Unlike in the past when every problem of governance was blamed on the president in Abuja, continues advocacy by political commentators has successfully returned the lens of scrutiny to the governors and this makes a lot of sense. After all, governors are the real custodians of the power that directly affects the electorate.
Consequently, this development has exposed the folly of many lie-dormant governors who came into office under the grandiose illusion of business as usual primarily to enrich themselves and their hangers-on, but not the occupants of the Kebbi state government house.

Why should they? After all, equity can only be delivered with clean hands and Kebbi state seems to have found the one who is willing to do the needful in the face of adversity.
Before the emergence of governor Bagudu, Kebbi State was the perfect example of failed, self-centered and irresponsive leadership under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose successive regimes have been characterized by treasury looting, faded vouchers and insensitivity to the plight of the majorities whose mandate was unfortunately hijacked to favour selfish minorities in the state. Historically, Kebbi people are synonymous with self-reliance. But while the people are hardworking, strong and committed to their age-old means of livelihood – fishing and farming – successive governors of the state since the return of democracy appear to be blocking the viable industry of the people.

In essence, anyone who is familiar with the political and social indicators of Kebbi State before the election that brought in the Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu led dispensation knows that the realities are different today; Kebbi has been transformed from the very picture of dereliction that it used to be to a city under construction and the prospects are heart-warming. Quite uncharacteristically, a government in Kebbi state is delivering on its campaign promises and the people of Kebbi are for the first time knowing what it feels like to be in a democracy.

To the defeated opposition in Kebbi State, they thought it’s going to be the normal political rituals where public treasury would be siphoned through strategic hallow financial pipes deployed by those in power to the detriment of the masses. Therefore, neither the politicians nor the hitherto gullible masses took Governor Bagudu’s strong wordings seriously when he declared during his inauguration that his government is all about the people. But fortunately, within short time of his stewardship, the doubt about his statement have been laid to rest with his government formulating an array of people oriented policies which have been implemented swiftly with all the vigour and commitment they deserve.

Today, most of the economic sectors of the state have either been successfully transformed or are at nearing transformation. Governor Bagudu, who understands the value of quality and foundational education, has after embarking on a state-wide tour of the educational facilities in the state, awarded a contract for the renovation and repositioning of the entire primary, secondary and some tertiary schools across the state. Therefore, after two years of concerted efforts at revamping the schools, they are today wearing a colourful look.
In agriculture, Bagudu’s achievements have gone beyond the state and attracted national attention and applauds. As an alternative source of revenue, he rolled out his agricultural empowerment policy which today not only provides job opportunities to the teeming populace, but also a viable source of revenue to the entire nation.

Perhaps, the most glaring achievements of Governor Bagudu over the past two years are the construction of roads, culvert and erosion projects all over the state. Today, over 80 km of road has been constructed in Kebbi state within the last two years. Projects like Koko-Mahuta-Dabai, Kao’je-Illo, Shema-Bakoshi, Kwanar Dabai- Zuru, Maga-Ribah, and the 56.8 kilometres Ribah-Bena roads and lots of others both in the state capital and the adjoining towns and rural areas have been a success.
Indeed, with these and a host of other projects, the faith that the people of Kebbi put on the governor, whose inauguration attracted virtually every able-bodied citizen to the capital, is being repaid.

And as the governor mounted the podium to reel out achievements after achievements by his administration after two years in office, his body language suggests he is proud of what has been done so far but acknowledges that more needs to be done if his administration was to really be inscribed in the sands of time.

Saleh wrote from Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state

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