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State Governors Are The Real Problem Of Nigerian Democracy
State Governors Are The Real Problem Of Nigerian Democracy
BY:DOMINIC KIDZUBY
The Fourth Republic is already in ruins. What is left is the debris from the fall of the ancient empire. And the State Governors are the willing undertakers. Having plundered and killed the republic, they feel no scruples about burying the carcass. The carcass is their trophy. The suffering are their emblem, the grand imprimatur of their reign. Life and death are theirs to give or take. They are the new gods, stealing, killing, converting. They are the inscrutable ogre before whom the people tremble in obeisance and in fear.
Every Governor is the King of Abyssinia, with the single ambition of becoming the richest man in Babylon. They sit in regal majesty on Mount Olympus, dispensing from the patrimony of the people according to their whims and caprices. If the appetite takes them, they give you an appointment or a contract. Otherwise, they are pretty comfortable with allowing you to wander in obloquy, while members of their families run the state at will. To know the Governor or a member of his family is of great advantage, to know none is to stand and stare in misery.
They use poverty as a form of political control. The poorer the people, the more likely they are compelled to sing and dance at the celestial glory of the sovereign who does no wrong. Every single project is magnified as the greatest, ever. He knows the truth, but what the heck! The wealth of the state belongs to the Governor and his family. Account books are cooked in earthen pots on the firewood hearth. Huge properties are openly and hurriedly developed or bought in the full glare of the starving populace, behemoths dedicated to the atavistic gods of sudden power and money without end. You could almost hear the people saying, “na him time abeg, make him chop.”
The state as a subregion was envisioned to synthesize development in the broad spectrum of its region as both a political unit and an economic bloc within the federal republic. But, most of the governors have mostly concentrated on the state capitals and neglected Local Government areas in both physical infrastructure and economic development. The third tier which is the closest to the people and therefore most critical in their development has been unconditionally seized by the governors who have consistently taken their funds with surprising impunity, giving them nothing in return. They are happier when there are no elected Chairmen, because the civil servants are mighty malleable and simple thieves anyway.
Governors in Nigeria are stealing the states blind. They are not developing the economy or developing creative and unique revenue heads outside simply collecting allocation from Abuja every 30 days. Why do state governors initiate very gigantic projects they cannot accomplish, which are usually denominated in USD? To confuse the people and cream off the top, of course. The Joint Account Allocation Committees (JAAC) in the states are a great constitutional travesty. It is in those monthly meetings that the Local Government as a tier of government is murdered. Once salaries are removed and the Chairmen are given a little something under the table, the governors grab the rest in a monthly heist that is simply disgusting.
Stephen King once said that “monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win”. The governors have won, the republic is theirs. Yet these are people who looked good and smelt nice before swearing in, but transformed into Gorgo Medusa, the very next day and are no longer recognizable. Abraham Lincoln also warned that “nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”. The so-called politicians in the states are willing slaves. They are suffering and smiling, some are actually clapping. Even though Albert Camus had warned that “Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear”. Have you ever wondered why state governors find mediocres attractive? It is because they resent a second opinion, or a brilliant head with other ideas. They can’t stand another bright bulb in the chandelier. There can only be one chair in the room they occupy.
Everyone knows that Agriculture is the next big thing in Nigeria. All the governors know this and mouth it. But none will put 200 willing farmers in business by giving them seed grants of 20 million Naira each. That is a mere NGN4 billion. Such a scheme will enable massive food production, give people work, and create self-sustaining entrepreneurs in their states. But they won’t do that. Four billion is too much, yet this is the kind of money they themselves grab on a not so good day. No governor has created 500 independent millionaires in their eight years. And it doesn’t take a whole lot to do so. Their real interest is themselves. They rather prefer to have both young and grown men on a flagpole, sharing food palliatives to them as if they are crippled or the state is at war.
We have all been made cripples anyway, a shameful legacy of this Fourth republic. There is no genuine attempt to develop the people, either in business, innovation, or agriculture. Cultivating just 10 hectares by each of these 200 people suggested above amounts to 2,000 hectares of cocoa, oil palms, cassava, yams, rice, beans, millet, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, et al. Repeat this investment in each of the eight years of the two-term, and you are likely to have created about 800 millionaires in one state. That is massive development! This is how prosperity is created by a thinking leader who desires to leave a legacy behind. Legacies are made of people too, not only cement, stones, and sand. The greatest legacy of all is how a leader was able to transform his people from poverty to prosperity, from being dependent to becoming self-sustaining.
The removal of petroleum subsidy has ushered in tremendous amounts of revenue to the states, but the governors won’t tell you that. They prefer to continue to behave as if nothing new has happened. Waning about paucity of funds, debt profile, wage bills, and just about anything. If the governors can put their heads down to work and suspend their own self-enrichment for just one year, the impact on the citizens would be massive. Nigerians blame and pilory the federal government on a daily basis, not knowing that there is enough in their home states for everyone ready to work and prosper. Most states are now receiving three times what their predecessors got as allocation and their IGR is growing in leaps and bounds, but the people are not feeling the impact in any way. Same complaining, same exotic lifestyles, globetrotting, long motorcades, and properties on land and sea. While the people are left holding can.
State governors have been too greedy, too selfish, and overly criminal minded. They have shown neither love nor commitment to the genuine development of the states, and a bewildering lack of ideas in taking their citizens out of starvation and inevitable servitude. They have destroyed the Local Government system and rendered the federal system inoperable in their preference for electoral monarchy, which creates a new king every eight years. I am at pains to find something positive to say about the contribution of state governors to the development of their people or this democracy. Regrettably, I am unable to find one thing to defend their crass performance politically, economically, and morally.
*Dominic Kidzu served as Chief Press Secretary to Governor Donald Duke and later as the General Manager of the Cross River Newspaper Corporation (Nigerian Chronicle),
State Governors Are The Real Problem Of Nigerian Democracy
News
Zulum Appoints Prof. Bukar Usman as Pioneer Chairman of Zakkat, Waqf Commission, Names New Secondary Education Board Member
Zulum Appoints Prof. Bukar Usman as Pioneer Chairman of Zakkat, Waqf Commission, Names New Secondary Education Board Member
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the appointment of Prof. Bukar Muhammad Usman as the pioneer Executive Chairman of the newly established Zakkat and Waqf Collection and Distribution Commission.
The Commission, which became operational in 2025 following the passage of its enabling law by the State Assembly and the Governor’s subsequent assent, is mandated to oversee the collection, administration, and equitable distribution of Zakkat and Waqf across the state.
The appointment of the Executive Chairman is in accordance with the powers conferred on the Governor under Section 4 (1) and (2) of the Commission’s Law, 2025.
Prof. Bukar Muhammad Usman, a Professor of Arabic Literature and a distinguished Islamic scholar, brings to the role expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and academic leadership.
He began his academic career at the Nigerian Arabic Language Village, Gamboru Ngala, where he served as a lecturer from 2006 to 2018. Following the completion of his Ph.D., he joined the Department of Arabic at Yobe State University, where he currently holds the rank of professor.
Before his appointment, Prof. Bukar served as Head of the Department of Arabic at Yobe State University and was a member of both the university’s Senate and Council. He also served on the editorial board of Al-Nur Journal, a scholarly publication of the Department of Arabic.
He participated in numerous seminars, workshops, and conferences both nationally and internationally. He has published several scholarly papers in reputable local and international journals and also supervised many Master’s and Ph.D. theses across various institutions.
In a related development, Governor Zulum has also approved the appointment of Malam Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad as a member of Borno State Senior Secondary Education Board, representing Southern Borno.
The appointment follows the demise of Alhaji Ibrahim Sarki in January 2026 and is in line with the provisions of Section 4 (1)(a) of the Borno State Senior Secondary Education Board (Amendment) Law, 2024.
Until his appointment, Malam Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad was a lecturer at the College of Education, Gashua, and holds a Master’s degree in Fundamentals of Religion.
Governor Zulum congratulated the appointees and urged them to deploy their experience, integrity, and commitment toward strengthening their respective institutions.
Both appointments are for an initial term of four years and are subject to confirmation by the Borno State House of Assembly.
Zulum Appoints Prof. Bukar Usman as Pioneer Chairman of Zakkat, Waqf Commission, Names New Secondary Education Board Member
Zulum elated by Tinubu’s approval of 3 federal institutions for Borno in 3 years
.. Says Borno will reciprocate the gesture in 2027
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving three major federal institutions for the state within three years of assuming office.
Zulum made the commendation on Sunday in Bama, shortly after a sympathy visit to residents affected by a devastating windstorm that struck part of the town last week.
Zulum specifically noted that since President Tinubu took office, he has approved the take-off of three vital federal institutions, including the Federal College of Education, Gwoza; the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Azare; and the Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, Bama.
He expressed delight that the institutions would directly transform the lives of the people of Borno through job creation, improved access to quality education, and specialised healthcare delivery.
Zulum commended President Tinubu for his sustained attention to Borno’s recovery and development needs, noting that the three federal institutions would significantly accelerate post-insurgency reconstruction and economic revitalisation.
“I want to draw your attention to the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, Bama, by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, just two days ago.
“The pioneer principal officers were appointed. This is a remarkable achievement, and we want to hail the President for what he has done.”
“The take-off of the Federal College of Education, Gwoza, and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Azare, was achieved under the administration of President Tinubu; therefore, I want to commend him and assure him that the people of Borno State will reciprocate the kind gesture at the appropriate time.”
Zulum had last year announced the handover of Umar Ibn Ibrahim El-Kanemi College of Education, Science, and Technology, Bama, for the immediate commencement of academic activities at the newly established Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, Bama. The Governor also approved one billion naira for the immediate take-off of the University.
The Governor has consistently offered similar support to the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno; Federal College of Education, Gwoza; and National Orthopaedic Hospital, Azare, approving over N5 billion to facilitate a seamless take-off.
The Governor also inspected ongoing construction work for the 19 Brigade headquarters in Bama, underscoring his administration’s determination to consolidate security gains and restore full civil authority around the Bama general area.
Zulum elated by Tinubu’s approval of 3 federal institutions for Borno in 3 years
Gov. Lawal Commends Troops Over Successful Operations Against Bandits in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has commended troops of the Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Fansan Yamma for recording significant operational successes against armed bandits across parts of the state.
The governor gave the commendation following a series of coordinated military operations conducted in Kaura Namoda, Birnin Magaji and Shinkafi Local Government Areas of the state.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the governor described the renewed military offensive as timely and strategic in disrupting activities of terrorist groups operating within Zamfara and neighbouring states.
According to the statement, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma launched coordinated offensives in the early hours of May 7 in Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji LGAs, leading to the neutralisation of three bandit kingpins.
The troops also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including one AK-47 rifle, one machine gun, one locally fabricated pistol, seven rifle magazines and 571 rounds of ammunition.
The statement further disclosed that troops achieved another major breakthrough on May 10 following intelligence reports indicating that several notorious terrorist commanders had gathered at a hideout in Tumfa village, Shinkafi LGA, to coordinate attacks on communities within the state.
According to the governor, the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma carried out a precision airstrike on the identified location, destroying the structure used as the terrorists’ meeting point and disrupting the planned attacks.
Lawal said the sustained operations have demonstrated the commitment and resilience of security forces in tackling insecurity across the North-West region.
He reiterated the Zamfara State Government’s continued support for the military and other security agencies through the provision of logistics and operational assistance aimed at restoring lasting peace in the state.
The governor also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence to aid ongoing operations against criminal elements.
Gov. Lawal Commends Troops Over Successful Operations Against Bandits in Zamfara
Zulum Appoints Prof. Bukar Usman as Pioneer Chairman of Zakkat, Waqf Commission, Names New Secondary Education Board Member
Zulum elated by Tinubu’s approval of 3 federal institutions for Borno in 3 years
Gov. Lawal Commends Troops Over Successful Operations Against Bandits in Zamfara
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