Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero
A blogger, Abubakar Musa, has cried out for protection, alleging that
he has come under intense death threats for writing a critical article
on Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State.
In a statement sent to the media, Musa stated that freedom of speech
is now threatened in Kaduna State in view of the hatred of criticism of
the governor by his associates.
As evidence, he cited various text messages in Hausa that he received
from an anonymous number—08107875202—warning him from comments against
Yero.
Musa said, “It is rather unfortunate that certain elements, at State
and Federal levels, are bent on taking anyone that dares to ask
questions or demand explanations regarding certain misadventures
happening within their ranks. What we witnessed during the military era
is fast resurfacing even as we claim to be practicing democracy. They’ve
decided, in their usual manifestation, to attack the messenger rather
than tackle the message.
READ MORE AFTER THE CUT
“Within the faithful days of August 23rd to 25th, I wrote an article
that was widely published and circulated by various platforms on the
executive governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Mukhtar Yero and his
leadership style. While the article contained lots that the government
should have cared to address, they’ve decided to throw spit at me. On
Thursday, I received a call at about 10:30pm by a certain unknown number
threatening to get me eliminated if I do not resist attacking their
governor. Though the caller spoke in Hausa language, but I perceived a
sense of deep literacy within his utters. Yesterday, Friday 11th
October, 2013 at about 5:10pm, I got two text messages, one in English
and the other in Hausa, threatening me as well (see pictures). Both
messages confirmed what I was told by the caller the previous night.
Initially, I was tempted not to report to any security agency because of
the lackluster level of our security agents in handling investigative
cases. But after consultations with various individuals, we decided to
report to the nearest security outfit. Well, the threat was done, by
whoever it was, to have me and my likes take our battle guns of
challenging mediocre government down. But I will wish to inform them
that the battle has just begun.”
Musa stressed that government is not supposed to be a personal affairs, and that citizens must ask questions.
“We must demand for answers and criticize, though constructively, we
must not fail to do. My life belongs to no one but Almighty God, their
threats and tactics of sabotaging progressive efforts will never work. I
remain loyal and committed to seeing a responsible government that will
have the interests of everyone at heart.”
Below is the article.
The Kaduna State Governor Is A Classic Example of How Not To Govern By
Abubakar Musa
Contrary to varied intuitive understanding of ‘godfatherism politics’
as a discourse of division, some argue that it’s also a discourse of
integration, serving to bring the allies closer to each other. The
fundamental logic of such politics, considered a Schmittian game of
telling friends from enemies, makes betrayal an unpardonable crime and
the traitor the worst kind of enemy.
Yet at the same time, betrayal, in politics of godfatherism,
acknowledges an intimacy that existed prior to the act of betrayal: an
intimacy that must be denounced and, even, at times, held in disgust.
During the era of late governor Patrick Yakowa, while he and many of his
followers worried about being betrayed by his staunch allies and he was
at the risk of exiting the bowl of power, then deputy governor, Yero
never understood betrayal as a political risk. Eight months after being
sworn as the governor of Kaduna State, by circumstances of death and
destiny, governor Yero now has a new definition for betrayal as
‘political risk’, at least through his actions.
It’s glaringly obvious that our dear governor is confusing reality
with imagination. The events that unfolded over the last eight months
led me to reflect on how an imaginary crisis can be productive, for it
means imagining an alternative history that bears on political reality.
The events — both political and otherwise –depressing-esque meshing of
political suspense and sub-plots, also revealed the sort of risky
connections between fantasy and politics that could put real lives at
risk. While Yero’s era as deputy governor can be regarded as political
fantasy, eight months into his tenure as governor, he’s yet to come to
terms with the political reality bestowed on him.
It’s this confusion, with no end in sight, that triggered my much
laid down sense of demand and accountability. In this era of political
correctness, no doubt, many will argue that it’s too early to judge a
governor whose tenure can still be regarded as a ‘baby’ one. Our
mediocre value construct of offering a time frame as an excuse for
failure always beats my imagination. Real men handle institutions of
power from the hour authority falls on them.
For those familiar with Kaduna State, in a context of charity, it
should be a municipal too easily to govern with real men at the helm of
affairs. For a state that’s well structured post independence, one
would’ve imagined by now, the expansion levels of Kaduna should be at
par with that of Lagos State. However, from 1999 to date, juxtaposed
with the resources generated regularly and the accrued Federal
Government allocations, one is right to say nothing has been achieved in
moving the state forward — infrastructurally and economically. The only
aspect well established is that of corruption — birthing godfatherism
and sycophancy.
It will be a sheer act of hypocrisy not to acknowledge the efforts of
former governor Ahmed Makarfi in providing infrastructural development
to rural areas during his era, even though little can be said of the
metropolis. When Namadi came on board, being an architect himself, one
would’ve expected him to compliment the efforts of his predecessor.
Regrettably, the parallels were too obvious for even a blind folk to
feel and differentiate. For the better part of his three years as
governor, there was hardly any substantial project of note, no matter
how charitable one intend to be to him. The only thing that
characterized his short, yet destructive spell was the propagation of an
unrealistic millennium city project. A project that remains as elusive
as it’s illusive.
The coming of Patrick Yakowa, as expected, signalled some levels of
hope. Though ours is a clime where commencement of projects hardly
defines its success rate, but at least, there were some visible projects
no matter how miniature, to point to. For the less than two years he
was in charge, Yakowa’s era wasn’t without its lapses. However, the
positives far outweighed the deficits until destiny played its hand.
Then came Ramalan Yero, whom many had thought, going by the circumstance
of his emergence, would continue with the projects started by his
predecessor, at least infrastructurally. Unfortunately, ever since his
inauguration, governor Yero had succeeded in ensuring the state attained
a historical feat of been the only state with four governors — three of
whom are governing by proxy.
Some of the monumental achievements of his first eight months
included nominating his father to chair a board of a federal
neuro-psychiatric hospital in the state. For a system that will appoint
Salisu Buhari (Former Speaker, Federal House of Representatives), who
forged certificates to win an electoral position, to chair a governing
council of a federal university, appointing a governor’s father to chair
any board is no less a mediocre act. The 560 million naira subsidy
reinvestment and empowerment programme (SURE P) funds that disappeared
without any sort of explanation marked another turning point in defining
the kind of government we had on board. This was a sum meant, though
without any rationale backing it, for complimenting developmental
projects.
While the state is yet to recover from such abuses of human power
exhibited by the governor, another naked cynicism was displayed.
Withdrawing state funds (estimated to be around 28bn naira) meant for
developmental projects in the name of paying the vice President a
certain debt the state is owing him is the highest form of political
rascality and leadership vulgarity. One shouldn’t be surprised because
we are in a country where anything is possibile. Impossibility,
positively or otherwise, is never greeted with less paucity by must
Nigerians.
From its inception, Yero’s administration was one that never showed
any clear sense of focus nor logical direction, but corrosive servile
form of flattery. It has been very slow and inept from the word go.
Worse still, even more slower and disconnected from the masses as it
matures daily. There has not been notable will and intention in
justifying the trust placed upon it by the ever reluctant and status quo
massaged state citizens.
The era of Yero, in the last eight months, had succeeded in serving
only the interests of godfathers and elites within and outside the
state. Most notable is the vice President who, aided by non functional
responsibility except attending cocktail parties and commissioning of
ghost projects, is always curiously interested in how a cent is managed
in the state account.
Supported by his lack of political experience and weak disposition as
a leader, the governor always succumbs to whatever the demands of the
vice President are, even if they mean milking the state empty.
Recent happenings within the state shows that the governor’s dad must
endorse whatever proxy projects to be issued for one to be sure of his
guaranteed share of the jamboree. How low these people have made
governance and power intoxicate them is beyond one’s ability to
conceive. While states like Kano are putting eternal efforts to advance
the state in all areas, Kaduna, which many northern States previously
looked up to, is fast dwindling economically and infrastructurally. It’s
an abuse of State prowess to state here that as large a city as Kaduna
is, there are only two major dual road linkages.
The third , which billions had been sunk into, is the Eastern bypass
which is yet to be fully operational. Even the minor dual roads not
linking to other states are less available. For a city that is long due
for expansion and which the government, over the years, had maintained a
reluctant stand to attend to, the pseudo Lagos traffic that’s becoming a
permanent imperil in the city should be anything but surprising. The
few individuals that had showed the desire to expand the city hardly got
any government backing.
For example, there were new government layouts at Barakallahu and
Rigachikun areas of the State issued to individuals by Makarfi’s
administration, but when Namadi came on board, together with the
Nigerian Airforce authority, he contrived to claim the lands. Till date,
individuals’ properties worth billions are at their custody, denying
the city a chance to be de-congested and expanded for good. The story
isn’t any different today, as there are many instances of cases where
the state government would’ve impacted meaningfully, but have failed to
do so on grounds of visionless stand and satisfying the elitist class.
It’s also the same in Zaria and other suburbs of the state, if not even
worse.
The furore that rocked the state assembly over the last few weeks,
leading to the speaker’s impeachment attempt, is evidence of the crack
within the top setup. Yes, the tenure may be young, but the scandals
already rocking it are typical manifestations of bleak days ahead.
However one may look at it, it’s high time governor Yero got himself
out of the stranglehold of Namadi’s tantrums. Leadership and governance
are not a family affair. He must free himself from the intoxication his
political godfather suffered from while in charge of the state. If all
that’s happening within the state, as others are claiming, though not
justifiable, are because his government is too young to get its acts
together, I wonder how long it will take him to start executing
meaningful projects.
There’s no better time for the governor to carve his name in gold
than now. But he must first realize the task ahead of him and make
himself a free civic entity. A word they say, is enough for the wise.
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