From the days of Joseph Pulitzer, the renowned Father of Journalism to 1851 when The New York Times was founded by George Jones and Henry Raymond, and up to today, a major task of the media, apart from holding leaders accountable, has been the facilitation and enthronement of good governance in human societies.
It is with that in mind that today, I am picking on seven Nigerian states, where I recommend a second term for six serving governors, and a fresh term for one, as the electorate in 29 states file out this Saturday to elect who governs their respective states for the next four years.
I am starting with Senator Abdullahi Bayero Nafada, who is seeking a fresh term as governor of Gombe state. Though some people may choose to argue for political reasons, it remains an indisputable fact that one of the best state governors in Nigeria’s political history is Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, who has been the governor of Gombe state for almost eight years now.
For a state that could rightly be described as a mini-Nigeria and one of the most diverse religiously and culturally, governing Gombe state can simply not be an all-comers affair. APC could definitely be said to have the momentum shifting on its favour at the moment what with the resounding victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election penultimate week. But even the president himself has been boldly telling the electorate to be wiser and not just vote on the basis of party affiliation. He has been emphasising on the need to vote for credible leaders who will take their societies to the promised land.
Many people do not know that a lot of the key achievements of the outgoing governor of Gombe have the hands of Senator Nafada fully on them. The people of Gombe are therefore advised to vote for the one and only man who will ensure the continuity and preservation of the shining legacies being bequeathed by Governor Dankwambo. For a state that is on the lower rung in all revenues accruing to it, Gombe cannot afford governance by trial and error. Bayero Nafada, a very credible and competent leader, is therefore Gombe’s best bet.
In Bauchi, Barrister MA Abubakar has held sway for about four years now. Among Nigerian governors, it is difficult if anyone has faced more internal dissent from federal legislators of the state origin than this governor. But Abubakar’s excellent governance skills is his ability to weather the storm and not allow the many acts of provocation to distract him. Today, one of the finest examples of real foundation in education and agriculture has taken a firm root in Bauchi.
In Adamawa, Senator Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow has been redefining governance and insisting that with focused governance, his state must rank among the best in Nigeria. Sadly, he, too, like Gombe and Bauchi, is faced with paucity of resources. So he is taking things one at a time, so much that no state in Nigeria can today compete with him in terms of excellent road network. The people of Adamawa must never make the mistake of allowing forces of darkness to derail this man. He has a lot and a lot in his kitty, which only a second term could fully reveal.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has today etched Sokoto on the global map, being a global citizen respected beyond the shores of Nigeria. Today, the governor has completed virtually all projects abandoned by his predecessor. A second term for Tambuwal will set Sokoto on a path of irreversible greatness.
Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa? The people of Delta call him Ekwueme owing to his trademark integrity and ability to fulfill all promises. Though the state is oil-rich, the riverine areas have suffered lots of neglect from successive past administrations. So daring is this intellectual serving as governor that during last year’s All Nigeria Editors Conference which took place in Asaba, he made it possible for many editors to either drive or fly by chopper to the riverine areas, where those of us that made it witnessed wonders.
I will not allow allegations against Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to deny me say the truth about this governor of Kano, Nigeria’s most populous state. Some critics believe Ganduje’s feud with his former political soul-mate, Senator Kwankwaso, is what forced him to be one of the highest achieving governors in Nigeria.
To be sure, not even the blind will deny the fact that Ganduje has achieved, in terms of physical infrastructure, what no one before him has done since the days of Audu Bako and perhaps Abubakar Rimi. Shekarau as governor was no doubt also another key achiever, but his focus was more on developing Kano in all key areas without allowing one to dominate the other.
As can be verified by any dispassionate mind, Ganduje’s projects are also some of the most qualitative, and unlike his predecessor, he is not given to executing white elephant projects. It also says a lot about the man’s strength of character that he did not, even for a moment, allow the controversy around him to shift his focus on launching Kano to unprecedented greatness.
Like Tambuwal, Governor Aminu Bello Masari is another global brand serving as governor in Nigeria’s current political dispensation. Apart from mere cosmetics, the two key areas of education and healthcare were left virtually unattended in the pre-Masari-era in Katsina state, so much that though this is a state that has produced two heads of Nigerian state, many of its children trek several kilometers to attend schools in neighbouring villages.
Today, a solid foundation has been laid by Governor Masari in addressing all the key factors that have been serving as a clog in the wheel of progress of the state. Masari has also enthroned an accountable governance that is second to none in Nigeria, making it possible for him to record unprecedented achievements with so little.
The good thing about democracy is its ability to allow for plurality of ideas. Definitely there are quality materials in other states as well. I only narrowed down to these seven states because I personally can vouch for the suitors seeking the hearts of their electorate to continue ensuring the best deal for them.
Gaya is Deputy President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
