Yar`Adua’s 100 Days In Office September 2, 2007 | posted by Mobolaji Aluko (Archives)

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LEADERSHIP
September 2, 2007

Yar’Adua’s 100 Days In Office

 
. Richard Akinjide, Ezeife, Na’Abba, others speak
. Governors to watch

When the tacitum, little-known Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was sworn in as president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria on May 29, 2007, not a few wondered if the self-effacing politician would not become an appendage of his widely discredited predecessor Olusegun Obasanjo. In fact, his critics argued that the emergence of the former governor of Katsina State through a skewed electoral process had rendered his government illegitimate. All honest Nigerians and international observers have dismissed the April 2007 event in Nigeria as anything but an election.

But Yar’Adua seems to have moved on since then in spite of the legitimacy problem. First, he endeared himself  

to Nigerians when he admitted, during his inauguration, that the electoral process that brought him on board was less than transparent. For many, it was a sign of good things to come. And he began to enjoy tremendous goodwill even from the international community, especially after he had taken some actions which clearly demonstrated that he was his own man, an achiever and a man of ideas, not a puppet. What are these encouraging steps?

 

Ministerial Appointments

 Yar’Adua, unlike his predecessor, went for the right people and put them into the relevant ministries. The rejection of Bode Agusto,  easily identified as an Obasanjo man,  by the Senate was heartwarming. Many hailed the new team that would work with Yar’Adua.

 

Labour

Yar’Adua had inherited a huge challenge from President Obasanjo, who, in his final days, jerked up the price of fuel. It was a horrible blow on the poor citizens of a nation already staggering under the weight of Obasanjo’s damaging economic policies.

After days of labour unrest, Yar’Adua proved that he was a listening president when he reversed Obasanjo’s policy and reduced the pump price of petrol from N75 to N70 per litre. That act endeared him to more Nigerians.

 

Reversing The Criminal Sale Of Refineries

During the dying days of the infamous Obasanjo regime, the country’s plum refineries were sold at giveaway prices in circumstances that left much to be desired. But following public outcry a listening President Yar’Adua reversed the sale, and refunded a total $721m paid for the purchase. He promised to revive the refineries and put them in proper shape.

 

Respect For Rule Of Law

The Supreme Court judgement derobing Andy Uba as governor of Anambra State and the prompt implementation of the judgement gave the Yar’Adua presidency kudos. This contrasts sharply with the situation during the Obasanjo era: the government was known for disobeying court orders. The withheld Lagos  local governments’ fund easily comes to mind here.

 

Reforms In The Energy Sector

Interestingly, the announced reform in the energy sector is about the most overwhelming among the new policy thrusts of the regime so far.

The president has even declared his resolve to declare a state of emergency in the sector, to properly and fundamentally tackle the problem of the sector that has defied solution for decades, and even got worsened during the eight years of Obasanjo.

Yar’Adua has also consented to the establishment of nuclear power stations in the country -- a further  step to addressing the energy problem. This will come on board in 2015.

 

Scrapping Of NNPC

Closely related to the energy sector is the scrapping of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its replacement with five new commissions, which will be under the president’s direct supervision.

 

Demolitions In The FCT

The attempt to restore the Abuja master plan led to the demolition of houses and other structures in the Federal Capital Territory by the former el-Rufa’i administration with the latent approval of ex-President Obasanjo. Yar’Adua has since suspended further demolitions, while he assured that all those affected by the last demolition exercise and had genuine back-up documents of allocation would be compensated.

 

Reform Of The Electoral Process

To eradicate the controversies that often trail elections in Nigeria, and identify and tackle the grey areas, the president has set up a 21-member Electoral Reform Committee comprising eminent sons and daughters of the nation. Their mandate is, among others, to proffer recommendations that would guard against election-rigging in the future.

 

Shady Deals In The Oil Block Bids

The last administration embarked on some shady allocations of oil blocks with the resultant public outcry over the manner they were handled. Yar’Adua has since asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to scrutinise the last-minute oil block bids handled by the Obasanjo regime.

 

Import Waivers

It is an open secret that the country lost billions of naira through import waivers. These waivers  had cost the government a whopping N235 billion. Now, Yar’Adua has cancelled such waivers, while an external auditor has been mandated to audit both the duty waivers and tax exemptions.

 

The Military

In his effort to reposition the military to adequately tackle the challenges of the 21st century, Yar’Adua has commenced a reform programme in the military, beginning with the redeployment of officers and men to positions their professional callings are most required. New GOCs have been appointed, while other reform programmes are already in the pipeline.

 

Conclusion

These actions of the president in just 100 days could not  but be commended. There are, however, other grey areas that equally need urgent attention: Nigerians, for instance, yearn for the trial of more ex-governors and other political office holders  believed to have looted the public treasury.

 

Governors To Watch

By September 5, many state governors,  like Yar’Adua himself,  would have spent their first 100 days. Some of them have the “sword of Damocles” hanging on them at the tribunals. But they are determined to prove to their constituents that their ascension to power was not for mere role-playing. Through their acts and utterances, many of the governors are establishing themselves as the “real deal” in their domains. Some are breaking off from old handicaps and stamping their authority. A few are forging ahead with new ideas,  trying hard to create a new identity and to project a positive image of governance. Many of them  inherited huge debts and are facing a daunting task: combating the negative image of the past.

But their common denominator is the search for relevance and the battle for supremacy. Old orders must change, and current initiatives must survive. In the end, many of the state executives find themselves grappling with the challenge of battling the ancien regime and the emerging trends. Some  have shown increased commitment in dealing with the issues at hand. These, of course, include housing, health, agriculture, urban and rural development, and other infrastructural changes. Some of the governors have distinguished thenselves, and shown that they possess what it takes to move their states forward. They are also in the eye of the storm. The nation watches  to see how they translate their words into concrete actions.

 

Gov Jonah Jang

Air Commodore Jonah Jang (rtd) obviously leads the pack in this regard. At a time when most governors are concerned with probing their predecessors, Jang is assidiously working to uplift the lot of his people. A man at home with the nuances of governance, Jang was the military administrator of old Gongola State (comprising the present Adamawa and Taraba states), during which the state moved  to greater heights.

Today, as governor of Plateau State, Jang has endeared himself to his people by embarking on township roads’ construction and revival of moral values. He recently moved to regulate the alcohol consumption habit of Plateau residents - a crusade many viewed as a bold step toward ending a dangerous trend.

He also visited a flood scene recently where footages of the governor walking in knee-deep water portrayed him as a concerned leader. He will be watched by Nigerians, having inherited a backlog of socio-economic issues from the former governor Joshua Dariye. Jang is also among the select governors who have women as their deputy. He and Mrs. Paullen Tallen are working well together.

 

Gov Isa Yuguda

Former aviation minister Isa Yuguda is presiding over a state (Bauchi) known to have gone ahead of its neighbours in terms of development. The  former governor, Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu, had vigorously pursued a development policy aimed at turning the fortune of the state around. All eyes will be on Yuguda as he tries to beat Mu’azu’s record. And many of his critics will be waiting to see if he could match or beat  Muazu. Their impatience will be further triggered by the fact that Yuguda had been criticising Mu’azu. They will only be appeased if there are early signs of rapid improvement in the state’s infrastructure. He will be carefully watched to see how he delivers on his many promises to the state.

 

Gov Babangida Aliyu

Former perm sec and now governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu has accused his predecessor of siphoning money from state coffers. Many people will be watching to see how transparent he himself will be.

 

Gov Fashola

Coming on the heels of the politically boisterous Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Fashola will be watched to see how he matches or surpassess that record. As the only AC governor, many wonder how he will battle the dominance of the PDP at the centre and in the neighbouring states.

 

Gov Wamako

He has also criticised the man he took over from in Sokoto State. Many will be watching to see how he performs better than ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa.

 

Gov Ibrahim Shema

Shema has the onerous task of governing President Yar’Adua’s own state. Expectations will obviously be high. Will Shema remain in the shadows of Yar’Adua or will be his own man in Katsina? The answer to this question will certainly determine the direction of his administration.

 

Gov Sule Lamido

Lamidi’s populist theories will be put to test as he faces real-life situations. It is the first time he is being given executive powers to implement ideas he has propounded over the years. He will be scrutinised closely by the media and people around to see how these theories translate into concrete achievements.

 

Gov Danbaba Danfulani Suntai

As the first pharmacist to be governor, many members of his profession will watch closely to see how he will make them proud through his achievements in Taraba State.

 

Gov Murtala Nyako

Gov Nyako of Adamawa State was a military administrator when his immediate predecessor Boni Haruna was in secondary school. He will be strictly observed by his critics who will be expecting higher standards from him.

 

Gov Ali Modu Sheriff

As a second termer, the Borno State governor must distinguish himself this time around to secure the respect and admiration of his people. Having survived many harsh criticisms from the opposition, SAS (as the governor is popularly known) must build on his modest achievements.

 

Gov  Mamman Ali

Yobe State governor and former senator Mamman Ali has earned  distinction as a man of integrity. He once returned a Ghana-Must-Go to Obasanjo’s men during the third term. With this reputation, MAL (as he is called) is a survivor of many political intrigues and he is acceptable by his people. His main challenge is moving a rural state into the 21st century.

 

Gov Danjuma Goje

A maverick politician, Goje has distinguished himself by the large enemies he has made in four years. In terms of achievements in his state, the former minister has done well. Now that he is at the last lap, he is being closely watched to see if he can finish strong. Many observers are of the opinion that the trouble with Gombe State has been that of political disquiet rather than development. Goje is obviously in the public glare and will be keenly monitored by the media and the people.

 

Gov Bukola Saraki

He is the governor closest to Yar’Adua and a member of his inner circle. As the son of the famed Olusola Sarki, Bukola who is doing his second tenure will be watched by the public, especially in relation to his agricultural policies and the  white farmers from Zimbabwe.

 

Gov Peter Obi

He will be watched as the man in the centre of the Anambra storms. His case is that of a miracle worker as he has survived many plots. Andy Uba also lurks in the corner and there are expectations that the intriguing contest of power in the state is far from over.

 

Gov Namadi Sambo

Gov Sambo of Kaduna State will be judged by the feat of his predecessor, Ahmed Makarfi, who performed creditably well.

 

South-South governors

The current crisis in the region has focused the attention of the ever critical Nigerain public and media on the governors. How they go about battling the militants and ensuring they avoid the pitfalls of their predecessors will dominate discourse in the coming years.
 

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