Democracy, they say is a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people. Going by this definition, it’s the system of government whereby the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. Under democratic system, the primary function of government is welfare and security of the people, from whom government drives its power and authority. Elections are meant to be a culmination of such aspirations, affording people the opportunity to choose their own leaders and system of government.
In Bauchi after the 2019 elections, the election that brought Senator Bala Muhammad into Ramad House, an election characterized by virtuous desire for better future, the hallmarks of democracy are being dangerously subverted and co-opted by powerful elites. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy. These elites lacking strong and viable base in production, turns the state as their primary instrument of primitive accumulation. In the end, the state is mangled and rendered impotent in the quest for nationhood, growth and development, much less democracy.
When the governor announced his cabinet in October, it clearly proves the allegations that a group of unelected elites has seized control and is calling the shots in Ramad House. To the extent that they are in charge of almost all the major decisions of the administration. That the governor listens to them disproportionately before he gives nod to appointments, policies, projects, sacks dissolutions, reconstitutions, and spending. The cabinet reflects the unwavering influence of elites because these no noticeable qualifications, experience and worldliness of cabinet members.
Though it took Governor Bala Muhammad about six months to appoint his commissioners, many citizens were disappointed when majority of the names sent to the Bauchi State House of Assembly are known elites and their sons who played a key role in the emergence of the People’s Democratic Party led administration. Many analysts also questioned how much these commissioners fit their respective portfolios, suggesting elite influence rather than a pursuit of competency and a noble vision. Or, how does one understand some of the appointments, including a Zoologist being made commissioner of education. Or where a life-time politician sent to the ministry of health, etc. Candidly, most of this appointments are of rewarding mission or the outlines of an elites mission.
Beyond appointments, even in the running of the government, there exist a group powerful elite who controls government and makes policy to benefit its members and perpetuate their power. So many decisions taken by the government in its five months corroborates that. For instance, recently the government of Senator Bala Muhammad announced the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with MaxAir Transport Company on daily air services from Bauchi to Abuja. The agreement is to provide commercial Air Transport Services between Bauchi and Abuja with a pledge by the government to subsidize 30% of the seats for 3 consecutive months and subject to renewal for another 3″. For the benefit of the privileged few, Governor Kaura signed this pack, without hesitation to that, in a state that is still battling to settle Billions of Naira debt that was incurred on it for years, and is being serviced with a lot of interest.
In a State where the government is crying out loud on the shortfall of the monthly allocation from the federation allocation, which is floating between 5 to 7 billion monthly, and the great majority of the said amount is going for payment of civil servants salaries, which as at today some over 41,000 of the civil servants are being screwed and scrutinize in a payroll cleansing verification to weed out the stunning causes of the ballooning of the monthly payment.
The same government also rendered the fate of 1000 scholarship students in limbo as the ministry of local government affairs disagree with Malikiyya College of Nursing and Social Science over 200m debt.
After five month in office, the administration of Senator Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir due to its pro-elite policies and programs has become irrelevant, confused, clueless, constrained, weakened, drained, and mangled beyond recognition. Above all, it has ushered in a new set of ancient evils that will signal the death of the state. There is no innovation or any reform to transform the decadent education system from its dilapidated physical and content structures into modern system of innovative learning. Our roads remain death trap. The government that threw 1000 students into streets will hardly provide scholarship to the vulnerable students.
A government that was once celebrated as an ark of survival by the people of Bauchi state has turned to benchmark of frustration. Those writers and critics that offered free help to his Excellency to enable him realize and appreciate that leadership position is not a spectator position and forwarding the complaints, concerns, and expectations of the good people of Bauchi State are being intimidated, threatened and called bad names because they preferred the will of the masses than interest of the elites.
The government is being nagging and when concerned citizens criticizes the situation, incurable optimists will quickly dismiss their view and come up with the same old, tired, worn out excuses and reasons, which we’re already familiar with. “His Excellency knows what he’s doing. Let’s continue to pray for him. With prayers, we’ll get to the finish line, our people are impatient people, Slow and steady wins the race, change does not happen overnight it will be long and painful journey, four years mess cannot be corrected overnight”.
Mukhtar Muhammad Mk, Writes from Bauchi.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect WikkiTimes’ editorial stance.
