The worst trait in any serving governor is egotistic stubborness.
In my home state, kogi state Nigeria, we had two political weights struggling for supremacy. Recently, a third spent force entered the foray. What are their objectives? What collateral damages are being suffered by the people? Why are some of their pronouncements infra dig? What are the people saying? Let's go.
First, I don't hide my disdain for lawlessness and reckless attitudes in corridors of power. So in a democracy, what should a governor look like? How should the senators interface with the governors. Let's see if our elective leaders have conformed to norms of democracy.
I believe that no matter how well intentioned any governor maybe, if the people are suffering excessively as a result of the changes the governor is effecting, he ought to pause and care for the people. My American friends would say: " wtf? Power belongs to the people."
Now in Kogi state, the new direction team have not ceased hyping about how they are repositioning the state; how they are blocking the leaks. We've heard it enough and I believe them. They are just not winning. The people are suffering the collateral damages. Yet, they would not restrategise.
In spite of the recession in the country, In spite of the debilitating economic conditions of the civil servants, we still read of the state house of assembly passing a budget where the environment ministry budged N24m for furniture maintenance; N15.9m for world environment day sensitization and another N15m for Enlightenment and communication? How does it sound? That kogi state MENR planned to spend N30million naira sensitizing and enlightening people, 70% of who are hungry civil servants? How does anyone enlighten hungry people?
All these and the extended labour - government face offs, mainly in the tertiary institutions and health sectors.; are the very clear points upon which senator Dino Melaye's group stood to oppose Governor Yahaya Bello's team.
Obviously, this situation is endearing the controversial senator Dino Melaye to the people. But what are his objectives? Could it ever be love for the state? Or the festering struggle for supremacy? Some of Dino Melaye's antecedents suggests to me that he is cashing in on the lapses of the youthful and inexperienced new direction agenda team. Anyone who had read the reports of the reconciliation committee that sat in Abuja will see the inexperience of Governor Bello's team. Among other things, the committee averred that the crises in the state was out of communication break down. This was short of telling the governor his communications and media team is the shoddiest in the country. How can any government work without a well oiled communications machinery? At about the first quarter of the year, it was so easy for any mischief maker to spread whatever because there was nothing coming from government. This translate to the fact government did not get feed backs as well.
There is no doubt, if anybody came offering hope to the people as the staff screening dragged to ten months, the people will follow. There were accusations of ethnic cleansing in the state civil service. Salaries were not paid. They had set the tone for the coming of Dino Melaye. The Messiah of the moment. The people over looked the flaws in the person of Dino. The senator, widely publicized for alleged certificates forgery, alleged complicities in bribery of an election tribunal judge in 2015, became the darling of the people. His following grew effortlessly.
To the vengeful glee of hungry civil servants, Dino Melaye called for the impeachment of Governor Bello while also dragging him and others to court over not holding the local government elections. In all these, I observe Edward Onoja tactically lying low. Onoja is the influential chief of staff to the governor. Not that he could pull any tremendous weight to bear in the struggle, but he is a very resourceful young man, wrongly used in this government.
In all these, all we saw from the new direction team are rebuttals in weak communications, content and and style; a tactless mirroring of the opposing camp with an alleged movement for the recall of senator Melaye.
Then, the weakened Senator Smart Adeyemi came in dramatically. As he released statement upon statements to the press, not a negligible number of our people wrote him off as inconsequential in the struggle of the moment. This is quite logical. The people had been ill informed about the new direction agenda, so how does Smart Adeyemi thinks his already weakened clout can help Governor Bello? I mean, immediately the APC government came on board, sequel to his antecedents as a staunch PDP and GEJ ally, he was smitten and his followers scattered.
Senator Smart Adeyemi cannot help improve Yahaya Bello's popularity rating. In fact, the senator himself need help from strong allies if he would ever have political relevance in the state .
Meanwhile, the Audu camp are still mad and probably have not given up on their believe that governor Yahaya Bello is a usurper of their mandate.
And steadily, sure footedly, while under the tutelage of the Senate president Bukola Saraki, Dino Melaye's opposition machine continues to wax stronger daily in the state.
So what are the people saying?
Nothing much!
Pay our salaries and let our children learn in schools. The people are so fair. Will governor Yahaya Bello return to the people to regain his loosening grip?
We wait to see.
Oyez Olatunde Rex
CEO Rextun Books
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