News:

Ramadan Mubarak!

I pray that we get the full blessings of Ramadan and may Allah (SWT) grant us more blessings in the year to come.
Amin Summa Amin.

Ramadan Kareem,

Main Menu

The Rise, Reign and Retrogressing of Governor Shekarau

Started by Muhsin, August 16, 2010, 10:49:04 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Muhsin

The Rise, Reign and Retrogressing of Governor Shekarau
4th August, 2010

Virtually whoever knows or is aware of the Kano political situation is left wondering at the visible reversal of its opinions over the passage of each day. The state is of course famous of such unpredictability in politics. Yet this is unusually intriguing: the shunned and stoned away "Noah" now turns to a revered and august "Christ"; and likewise the other venerated "Christ" to a cast away monster. Thereof one cannot help asking both answered and unanswered questions to whoever cares to listen.

Additionally, to the amazement of many, opposition parties of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the other newly born, though revolutionary one, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) can be said to have dominated the state's political landscape currently (both parties, I fear, are no better: the latter a hub for power hungry actors; while the former, centre for Capitalists who have little or no concern for a common man). This had not been the case since Nigeria's general election in 2007 which mark the emergence of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, as the governor of Kano State.

What exactly happened? Well, it's a proverbial assertion that water cannot develop a bitter taste without being touched. This water happens to be not an exception. Governor Shekarau came on the scene of Kano politicking in 2007 when the government of his former master, Engr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, whom he divinely succeeded, was so detested and despised by the largest number of Kano people. The reason for the discontentment is not up today clear to all, though many commentators declare that that had to do with the out-going government iron-handiness in holding power, negligence of the Shari'ah and maltreatment of working and even retired classes.

Thus people craved for change; and massive support for the new government after the election and declaration of the winner. Furthermore, though disputably, plus the adoration of people for the former Head of State, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, an ANPP presidential aspirant then who stormed Kano days to the polling day and "changed" things, aggregated and  subsequently resulted to Shekarau's being governor of Kano State.

There then the government of ANPP began with earnest enthusiasm and copious confidence in peoples' mind that it would deliver to their extreme expectation.

It quite started well before it later turned-off to the so-called Adaidaita Sahu (societal re-orientation program) which, seemingly not to the knowledge of his Excellency Shekarau, has been unprofitable and wholly ineffective as far as Nigeria and Nigerians are concerned. Kinds of this program had begun many years back after Nigeria's independence: Gowon's Three Rs, Buhari's WAI, IBB's MAMSER, Obasanjo's The Heart of Africa and now 'Yar-Adua/Goodluck's Rebranding; all these and more are never effectual, how on God's earth would Adaidaita Sahu be?

Hence with achieving little or nothing the first tenure wrapped up. Yet the people of Kano, blinded by the infatuation of the man, re-elected him. It went to the extent whereby some thought that was due to charm of somewhat nature that Shekarau deployed to win peoples' hearts, but that was nothing more than a fabricated lie. Though, still, this was and still is surprising.

During the campaign and afterwards Governor Shekarau made so much rosy promises, typical character of him. And to be very honest with the governor, he even realized the illusion behind the ostensive reorientation program and embarks on palpable, physical project here and there in the State afterwards. That aside, people are well aware of the other promises, added to the dogged grubby grab of power by some of his cabinet members after being undeservedly forgiven by the governor over their usual scandalous actions.

One of the preponderance actions that started x-raying the real Shekarau to populace was the local government council election held on 17th November 2007. Hardly an action like this had ever happened in Kano history; for I was an eye witness. In my local government, not a ballot cast was counted, yet the winner, an ANPP candidate, was announced! Some political hoodlums orchestrated by their aggrieved and tactless masters thoughtlessly and heedlessly set the local government building ablaze; and they looted everything, leaving only irremediable rubbles.

Relatively recently was the untenable demolition of peoples' business tents on both major and minor roads. Although that of the former roads was justifiable to even a greater extent, but that of the latter was an unwarrantable oppression of masses. It was a hidden machinery to launch a vendetta against some helpless groups of people, myself for example.

The governor's shocking actions and inactions couldn't just be mentioned in a constrained space like this. The hottest one is his unwanted and unwelcomed move of imposing a candidate hated by everyone within and outside ANPP. Such a foray by a party's political office holder is never done in civilized, truly democratized world. Party affairs should be democratic not autocratic. Shekarau should know that he too is subject to question by his party for it's higher in authority than him.

I am afraid I might be mistaken as a politician; no am simply a student, an apolitical one. It's only truth, which it's said to be bitter, I take a gauntlet of saying wherever and whenever I find the chance to do so.

I invoke Allah, the Exalted; for His blessings upon Kano and Nigeria in the whole, amin.


Muhsin M. Ibrahim
Dept. of Education
Bayero University, Kano
muhsin2008@gmail.com
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

Dan-Borno

you are not fair to this man, shekarau.  all your arguments
are baseless without facts, they are contestable and could
be argued otherwise.  come up with facts and figures, come
with where he violated the laws of his mother land and we
will listen to your worries.

just because you hate the man doesnt colour him black, there
are millions who see him as a messiah - that is politics and if
you are truely apolitical better never say a word.  allow those
who faught hard, suka kasa kuma suka tsare, those who
belong to a particular political party to exercise their constitutional
right of voting and belonging to a particular political party to
come up with such complaint.

shekarau has boldly declared his intention to contest for the
presidential seat under the banner of our great party, za ANPP.

i advise you send your article to desert herald, they will be happy
to publish it.

Nigeria sai Shekarau Insha Allah
"My mama always used to tell me: 'If you can't find somethin' to live for, you best find somethin' to die for" - Tupak

gogannaka

Muhsin,
What rosy promises has Shekarau made that he didn't fulfill?
The adaidaita sahu program as much as it didn't get the success required is very much needed.
For your information,at present,all northern governors have adopted (at least in part) the societal re-orientation campaign. Even the federal government. I believe it is highly important towards Nigeria's development. We need our attitudes to change towards a positive side.

All leaders have good and Bad sides,there can never be a perfect leader.
Shekarau has done and achieved quite a lot as a leader.
He will be missed.
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

Muhsin

Quote from: Dan-Borno on August 17, 2010, 10:16:26 AM
you are not fair to this man, shekarau.  all your arguments
are baseless without facts, they are contestable and could
be argued otherwise
.  come up with facts and figures, come
with where he violated the laws of his mother land and we
will listen to your worries.


True? Then lets see it on the ground, old (and elder) buddy.

Quotejust because you hate the man doesnt colour him black, there
are millions who see him as a messiah - that is politics and if
you are truely apolitical better never say a word.  allow those
who faught hard, suka kasa kuma suka tsare, those who
belong to a particular political party to exercise their constitutional
right of voting and belonging to a particular political party to
come up with such complaint.

I did virtually all that things you mentioned. I loved Shekarau more than you do, man. I saw him more than a Messiah but THEN. I'll never love any politician more. Now everything has come out in the wash. He's a wolf in sheep cloth. Pity.

And, you either believe it or not: I am what I am, i.e. a apolitical. Can I argue the fact that you are from Borno? No, of course, huh? Then it goes along this line. Get that?

Quoteshekarau has boldly declared his intention to contest for the
presidential seat under the banner of our great party, za ANPP.

I don't have a quarrel with the fact that Allah, the Exalted, gives mulki. But for Shekarau to be a president is far from becoming reality. And lets witness. Time will inevitably tell.

Quotei advise you send your article to desert herald, they will be happy
to publish it.

I don't think that is needed; my target audience are folks like you.

And for your information, I don't believe neither do I support the kind of journalism practice by that news-website. Its an archetypal unethical journalism in the show.

Nigeria sai Shekarau Insha Allah

BTW, two days. I lost my phone that's why I haven't sent you and other K-Onliners Barka da Shan ruwa message yet. Please let me have it (as well as yours) once again. Thanks
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

Muhsin

Quote from: gogannaka on August 20, 2010, 11:17:25 AM
Muhsin,
What rosy promises has Shekarau made that he didn't fulfill?

Tell me of the promises he made, and then tell me which and which he fulfilled.

For example: where is State's owned electricity? The rosiest of all: employment for the indigents in far away US? Uninterrupted water supply? Building of this and that sites, for example the one near me, i.e. Kofar Na'isa? Keep counting.

QuoteThe adaidaita sahu program as much as it didn't get the success required is very much needed.
For your information,at present,all northern governors have adopted (at least in part) the societal re-orientation campaign. Even the federal government. I believe it is highly important towards Nigeria's development. We need our attitudes to change towards a positive side.

Yes it's needed, yet that does not mean it ought to consume the seemingly unaudited monies it's consuming without leaving anything, or virtually so, on the ground. Again, tell me how effective are other programs? I already mentioned that the kind of that program is never effectual, is it? How? Thanks

QuoteAll leaders have good and Bad sides,there can never be a perfect leader.
Shekarau has done and achieved quite a lot as a leader.
He will be missed.

That is the fact the likes of DB don't agree with. From the onset Shekarau's goodness outweighed his other side; but the reverse is now the case. And I wallahi want him to change, for he's no matter how my governor.
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

gogannaka

#5
QuoteTell me of the promises he made, and then tell me which and which he fulfilled.

LOL,why are you redirecting my question back at me.
I didn't accuse him of not fulfilling his promise. I want you to squarely and objectively point out which promise he made that he didn't fulfill.
Then we can judge.

QuoteFor example: where is State's owned electricity? The rosiest of all: employment for the indigents in far away US? Uninterrupted water supply? Building of this and that sites, for example the one near me, i.e. Kofar Na'isa? Keep counting.

The state house of assembly(and the populace) rejected the loan proposed by the governor. However,consultancy works for the establishment of the power plant has been concluded.
As regards employment,i don't know how you came to the conclusion. Do you have anyone that came back from the US that is now unemployed?
Regarding the Kofar Na'isa plots. The project is a public private partnership. The role of government is to give the land and facilitate speedy clearance of all obstacles that might hinder the project. A private firm will now undertake the development of the plots(with its own funds) and sell to individuals and/or organizations. Government,as you can witness has done its part. The developer as well has done much of the work. It is left for the developer to decide on how much to sell the plots.

QuoteYes it's needed, yet that does not mean it ought to consume the seemingly unaudited monies it's consuming without leaving anything, or virtually so, on the ground. Again, tell me how effective are other programs? I already mentioned that the kind of that program is never effectual, is it? How? Thanks

Again, i cannot score whether or not the adaidaita sahu program has, or is succeeding or not. What i know for sure is that,for Kano state and Nigeria to develop we need massive societal re-orientation. Government needs to enlighten people on this and it is part of the mandate of adaidaita sahu.
Buhari and Idiagbon introduced War against indiscipline (WAI) and it was successful. Mind you however,that they used military force in enforcing WAI. Now we are in a democracy,things are done differently.
I used to oppose the program as well because i was once told that its accounts are unaudited. Later on i found out that they were actually audited.

QuoteFrom the onset Shekarau's goodness outweighed his other side; but the reverse is now the case.

I always ask people that dislike Shekarau and i ask you same.
What bad side has he that warrants so much hatred? I want you to please be specific and objective with all sense of fairness.

Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

Suleman

Quote from: gogannaka on August 24, 2010, 11:55:05 AM

QuoteFrom the onset Shekarau's goodness outweighed his other side; but the reverse is now the case.

I always ask people that dislike Shekarau and i ask you same.
What bad side has he that warrants so much hatred? I want you to please be specific and objective with all sense of fairness.



I find it hard to resist this one. I think the tone of your question is a bit harsh, because a lot of people are critics of those in power (Shekarau inclusive) not because of dislike or hatred but because they genuinely feel that there is room for improvement to say the least. Having said that, For some one who has spent 8 years (almost) as Governor, second only to Audu Bako, and during who's tenure at least =N= 400 BN accrued to the state coffers, I tend to think that Kano could and indeed should fare better. Compare his tenure to that of Audu Bako in terms of money accrued/projects within the time frames that they got and you will be mischievious not to see the glaring evidence.
Reason why most people are disappointed is not far fetched: 1) his past history who many have attested to being a humble person throughout his civil service career; 2) he was genuinely voted by the talakawas "when he had no one to turn to except Allah"; 3) if he was a PDP member most people wound'nt even bother critising cos its in their DNA.
In my view, Shekarau and indeed all of our leaders need not fear those who offer genuine positive critism but should distance themselves from those who sing their praise whilst they are in power.

I found this news item on the internet on Audu Bako's achievements as Governor for 8 years. Practically kano as it is today was built by this man 'sauran sai dai fenti kawai suke sake wa'.

http://aminiya.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3251:tuna-baya-shi-ne-roko-kaddamar-da-ayyukan-gwamnatin-marigayi-gwamna-audu-bako&catid=24:tumbin-giwa

gogannaka

Suleman, my question is not harsh in any way.
It is as simple as it can get.
Criticism in our own way is condemnation.
Our whole manner of opposition is harsh i would say. Leaders are not saints(even the audu bako you refer to) and as i said earlier no leader is perfect. When people criticize a leader they do it with a passion without being objective. When i listen to radio programs i get goose bumps. The extent to which people go to dent the image of Shekarau and his administration is worrisome.

On the three points you raised as to why his image is now dented, i doubt them.
1) What is the measure of humility? In all manners,Shekarau will definitely pass the humility test.(that is a weak excuse gaskiya)
2) I don't get the point in the second and third points.
The same talakwas that stoned kwankwaso now gather themselves to hear him out at campaigns and meetings.

I would implore you to get a copy of the financial commitments of the Shekarau administration through the directorate responsible for keeping the records of the administration's spendings. Ibrahim Ado Kurawa (of kanoonline) heads the directorate. Maybe it'll answer your questions on how they spent the N400billion it got in 8 years.
I have seen the books (at least for 4 years).
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

Suleman

Point of correction, the 3 points I raised are mere reasons why most people are disappointed in Shekarau's performance and not to dent his image in any way. All I was trying to point out is that a lot of people had full confidence in him back in 2003, for the 3 reasons I listed; that Shekarau could match if not surpass any other Governor that Kano has seen in its history, but we all know that he will struggle to come 3rd best if that.
Regarding the audited accounts kuma ai ido mudu. 'An ce da kare ana buki a gidansu, yace in gani a kas'. Unless there is another Kano state where all the development has gone, I cannot justify =N=400BN a Kano ta yau dai. And don't forget this is a very conservative estimate of income I have used. I must add, though, that in my view, the bad governance is more down to lack of initiative than corruption, as in those in control  do not know any better as evidenced by the calibre of people surrounding him.

gogannaka

I understand your points now.
I agree with you that the expectations were not met as a result of lack of initiation.
I still implore you to get a copy of the govt spending's. It might clear your eyes and maybe you'll see places where money has been spent that you never knew government spends in such areas.
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

Dave_McEwan_Hill

None of us is a saint, but I am very pleased to see Audu Bako getting some well deserved praise. No one who has flollowed him can n evenn the slightest way match what he did for Kano and the vision he had of huge advances, particularly in agricultural profuction, for the state. His vision should be re-activated.

I see Niger is now facing famine with half it's population unable to feed itself due to two years of drought followed by huge flooding this year washing the remaining crops away.
maigemu

Dan-Borno

muhsin you need not to argue, that does'nt hinder me from speaking
what i know through reliable sources.

malam suleman, the mere fact that you are comparing audu
bako's achievement and that of shekarau shows how unfair
you want to be to this gentleman.

governance in a democratic dispensation is NEVER a one man
show.  the processes of taking a decision in governance is
open and participatory, that is why honourable commissioners
are appointed after they have been screened by the house of
assembly members of the state.

at the end of every financial year, the state government through
its various ministries submit its budget for the year which will be
scrutinized by the members of the house of assembly and also
ensure its strict compliance (it is an offence not to use budgetary
provision for the purpose it is intended)

so, if audu bako and so many of his colleagues during that period
have been able to perform credibly, it is the crop of people and
their willingness to work for the sake of humanity that surrounds
him both at the executive and legislative cadre and including the
civil servants of that period and the kudos is to all of them.

muhsin and suleman (kai har da auntyn naka yau)
what apparatus did you use to arrive at such conclusions about
shekaraus governance?

how can a government agency not undergo auditing? haba ku
daina magana irin na yan tasha mana.

muhsin, we share your grief, the short notice given to you before
your super market was bulldozed is well noted and that is an
administrative error during the execution of the order lol
"My mama always used to tell me: 'If you can't find somethin' to live for, you best find somethin' to die for" - Tupak

gogannaka

DB,
Audu Bako was a military Governor. He didn't have to lobby the legislature to approve his budget.
He had no problem of separation of power. He had full control.
Ai if you look at the whole country in general,most of the developmental works (especially in infrastructure) was done by the military.

Audu Bako is a visionary leader.
Shekarau will one day be seen as someone that did much to Kano too (mark my words)
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment

Suleman

Nigerians in general never seize to amaze me. When it favours us we say one thing and when it goes against us  we say exactly the opposite. The same Shakarau praise singers, I remember, were comparing him to Audu Bako back then and now it has suddenly become "unfair" to compare the 2 of them. Any way my comparison to Audu Bako is merely because of the length of time both of them held power. I make bold to say that Rimi's administration (a civilian one for that matter) that only lasted 1 tenure, has done more progressive things for kano than the last 8 years of ANPP. How about that? Unfair also I guess? But why don't we for once call a spade a spade. Making excuses that the people Audu Bako worked with were more honest is just not acceptable. A good leader does not have to know all the solutions, but should be able to install the right people in the right places and always demand the right results.

gogannaka

Quote from: Suleman on August 25, 2010, 04:33:15 PM
I make bold to say that Rimi's administration (a civilian one for that matter) that only lasted 1 tenure, has done more progressive things for kano than the last 8 years of ANPP. How about that? Unfair also I guess?

Gaskiya ban yarda ba.
Surely after suffering comes enjoyment