Rumors usually go with a popular saying that “in every rumor, there’s an element of truth.”Some months ago, social media had been filled with a rumor that the national caretaker chairman of the ruling party is lobbying some notable oppositions from to his party and it was said that the current Governor of Bauchi State is among the governors the ruling party is lobbying to defect to their party.
Although the story might be true or otherwise, only time could testify that. Here, asserting the truth of that news is not the point I am trying to make but to point out the positive and negative aspects of the story.
If the story turns out to be true, it is a huge slap on the face of those writing all over the internet that, Bala Kaura’s administration is performing poorly, because if their claim is true, their party would have nothing to do with someone performing poorly. And to the supporters of Kaura, it affirms their claim that the Governor is doing his best to bring development to the state.
BAUCHI POLITICS
The Kaura led-administration started gaining opponents since its inception, but the situation does not worsen, until when he put much emphasis on the provision of infrastructural development above politics. From there, his opponents began their criticism on the basis of his focus on roads construction projects.
To them, instead of roads constructions, he could’ve channeled the funds to providing employment, payment of pensions and gratuities, etc.
Moreover, when the administration brought the idea of building new modern government house, the idea was heavily criticized with the same arguments as that of the construction of the road! Another criticism is that of banning Achaba, which brought negative impact on the life of those involved in it as a means of livelihood.
Criticism in politics is used as a driving force to draw the attention of government on what should be done and what should not be done that could thrive the welfare of the masses. But in a situation where those involved in the act could not differentiate what should be criticized and what should not and, what to be politicized, then the action turns to be bad.
An amazing thing with these critiques is that they are always on hand to criticize the government, using irrational arguments against the government without minding the fact that, today the electorates are wiser in measuring whatever is criticized with reality instead of politics.
Let me begin with the benefit of prioritizing infrastructural development in the long term. Prior to the inception of Kaura’s administration, Bauchi state was among the states left behind in terms of infrastructural deficit. Bauchi like many other states has quite a number of remotes areas that lacked good access roads, which in turn deprives its dwellers of engaging in economic activities. Not that only, it deprives them of easy movement to educational institutions in other areas because their roads are inaccessible.
For instance, the remote area connecting Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa. Despite been one of the local governments that once produced only Nigeria’s prime minister and a governor, the road linking the two local governments was in a terrible condition. On that road, people usually walk for about 16kms to transport their farm produce, as such, it is a hefty work to pass that road during the rainy season. But, a year within the inception of Kaura’s administration, the two local governments were blessed with a quality-linked road, give them an easy means of transporting their agricultural produce and their day-to-day activities. I am right if I ask whether this is a blessing or a curse?
Also, Itas and Gadau, are two towns located in the northern part of the state. There was no good accessible road linking the two towns. That road witnessed the reigns of past military and Democratic governors, but only Tatari Ali of blessed memory attempted to bring it to life. All the previous administrations overlooked the importance of linking such roads, despite the huge economic and social benefits associated with that. But with the coming of Kaura, the road is now undergoing full construction. In the end, people from these towns will happily be transporting themselves, their agricultural produce and their wards to the state university located within their locality. Again, is Kaura a blessing or curse to these towns?
Lacked affordable housing is one thing bedeviling the low-income earners among the state civil servants, to this effect, Kaura’s administration is presently constructing 2500 houses within the Six emirates of the state in order to provide room for this class of citizens to own roofing. To ask again, is this a blessing or curse to these low-income earners?
According to the critics, the roads; Sabon Kaura-Wuntin Dada, Bakin Kura-Malam Goje, Gwangwangwan-Kofar Dumi, the abandoned Federal Low-cost road completed by Kaura, the Eagle Square-Zaranda road and many other roads initiated and completed or being on the process of completion by this administration should be overlooked and accept their blank and irresponsible criticism!
Although, I am not a financial analyst or quantity surveyor to justify or criticize the number of funds set aside to reconstruct that dilapidated government house, however, the government house will forever remain as a property of the state and will not go with Kaura after the expiration of his tenure. So, this is left for professionals (not politicians) to justify or criticize the allocated amount capped for this project.
On the Achaba ban, critiques always made mentioned that the governor heavy-handedly banned Achaba transportation in the state capital and other major towns, without considering and mentioning that he provided over one thousand tricycles at zero interest to those involved in the achaba in order to compensate their banned business. This is something obvious that can’t be denied by any fair analyst.
On the issue of unemployment which has become a national emergency, Kaura’a critiques tend not to mention the fact that, apart from providing those tricycles in order to maintain those in Cahaba business and also to reduce the level of unemployment in the state, a new modern phone market is about to be completed which could provide job to thousands of youths involved in phone sales, repairing and maintenance. This is something they overlook in order to score cheap political goals at the expense of those outside the state.
Another interesting thing is that these blinded critiques overlooked the fact that the governor constructed new blocks of classrooms and renovated many that were previously unattended, and also, was successful in reducing the number of out-of-school children from the 1.3million he inherited from the previous administration to 1.2million within a space of two years. All these achievements are coming at a time when the global economy is seriously ravaged by the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and in a region destroyed by the actions of Boko Haram militants!
Recently, pictures of the mansion under construction (sponsored by the opposition) is going viral on social media, with the caption that, the mansion belongs to Kauran Bauchi.
According to them, he cornered the resources of Bauchi State to build himself that private mansion! But at last, it is revealed that the picture was lifted from a social media platform (Nairaland). The said mansion is located in the Ogun State of Nigeria. But after seeing the glittering truth, those errands boys are silenced, but without the guts to publicly come out to withdraw their earlier accusation and tender apology. And if for instance, legal action will be instituted against them, it will open another chapter for them to blackmail the gullible, in order to portray the governor as a dictator trying to silence the opposition!
Finally, in every war fought between truth and falsehood, truth always triumph.
