The much talked about 2023 general elections have finally come and various officials of government have been elected into the various offices provided for in the constitution of our nation. In Plateau State, Barr Caleb Mannaseh Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been elected as the Governor to take over from the outgoing governor Simon Bako Lalong of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
It is reality that has happened and it will be more realistic on 29th may,2023 when the new Governor is sworn in as the new state chief executive of the state. It is not a speculation neither is it a dream,but a fact that must be acknowledged. That is the beauty of democracy which we have chosen to practice.
God gives power to whoever He choses to give.So therefore, we have to pray for the new administration to succeed.
We have had a number of successive regimes on the Plateau since the state was created ranging from the late JD Gomwalk, Dan Suleiman, Chief Solomon Daushep Lar the emancipator, etc (all of blessed memories) to Sir Fidelis Nanmiap Tapgun, Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye, Senator Jonah David Jang, Rt. Hon Simon Bako Lalong and now to the incoming Barr Mutfwang. Under these administrations, Plateau State witnessed both high and low points. We give God thanks that democracy is growing and waxing stronger regardless of its slow speed and other factors.
Transition committees on both sides and inaugurated. This is for a smooth and orderly transfer of power from Lalong to Mutfwang. There will be handing and taking over of not just political power but also of administrative, fiscal and policy instruments and structures of governance. A lot of things will surely happen on both sides. But it is very important for both sides to know what they are handing and taking over. What is Lalong handing over to Mutfwang and what is Mutfwang taking over from Lalong? It will be intereting to know and witness what Lalong is handing over so Plateau can equally know what Mutfwang will be handing over after his tenure. This is nothing but the basic work of democracy as demanded by principles of good governance.
What is expected of the transition committees on both sides is not the traditional approach to issues just to fulfil all righteousness, but to do a thorough work that would trace how far the state has fared and the challenges being left behind for critical attention and focus. The committees must work hard to sectorally assess, analyse and identify key issues of progress and otherwise and profer solutions that will help the new government fill in the gaps. Plateau belongs to all of us and is bigger than us all. It is not about party but our collective progress. All of us suffers when a government fails and all of us smile when a government succeeds regardless of the party in power.
A wholistic assessment and review of the 8 year administration of Lalong is very important. This is not to create an impression of probe but of the necessity of accountability to the people. Lalong was duely voted to perform some certain responsibilities and it is only proper that his outgoing government gives proper account of this stewardship, nothing more nothing less. Whoever goes into the democratic ring knows very well that no matter how long he or she stays, there is a terminal dateline. Even nations that don’t have time limits for their leaders, end up anyway anyhow.
We continue to hear bogus claims and counter claims about the debt profile of the state depending which side one is talking from. But the committee can easily get across to the debt management office, DMO in Abuja for confirmation. We keep hearing many funny stories about contracts, thousands the of last minute employments to create problems for the incoming government, joint State and local government accounts and what is being released to our LGA chairmen monthly as against what the LGAs are entitled to. This must be unearthed for Plateau people to know. What about the bailout and COVID-19 funds that accrued to the state some years ago? How were they spent? What of other domestic debts gotten from banks? Were they judiciously applied? What are the terms of all the monies borrowed and their repayment plans? Was the government just collecting loans without purpose, focus and plans of repayment? What of other refundable monies paid to the state? What about other charitable and compassionate interventions from the federal government and other donor agencies? What about the internally generated revenues of the state?
All these and more are what should form the basic focus of the transition committees ahead of the handing and taking over. This is democracy and government belongs to the people. There is always time to get into office and there is time to give account of all that one does in office. Politics must be separated from governance.
Lalong has done his quota and about to vacate the scene for good. To me, he has not only demonstrated incapacity and political laziness, acute unintelligence in governance but unwillingness to deliver even where the opportunities are there. He is the worst governor to have ruled Plateau. He loves raw power but not ready to translate it to any meaningful impact. He always wants to be a leader where two or three are gathered, and always want to show off, but he lacks the capacity , ability and intelligent quotient to make a leadership difference.. He has demonstrated social primitivism and local brigandage in politics. There is nothing to learn from the type of politics Lalong has played. He has refused to connect to the national grid but chose to remain a local champion.
I pray and believe that Mutfwang will be different and will not go the way of this accidental governor. I have great hope that the incoming governor will be different.This is not because he is my party man, but because from his antecedents, one can deduce a lot. The Bible says,” out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh”. What is Mutfwang saying and what has Lalong said in the last 8 years? While Mutfwang has said a lot to the admiration of the people, Lalong has said nothing in 8 years. When a man says nothing it means there is nothing in his heart and when there is nothing in one’s heart, it means no meditation takes place. Meditation is the place of self assessment ,deep thinking, reflections, etc which is part of the central human faculty of rational thinking. Obviously one cannot compare Lalong with an urbaned, metropolitan, cosmopolitan, exposed, sound, well educated and strategic thinking Caleb Mutfwang. Even though both are lawyers, we have never seen or heard anything legal about Lally boy. What he specializes is the intentional violation and breaching of laws which a lawyer should not.
Out of office, he should reflect on all the many impunities he has committed against the laws of the land just to protect his incapacity. A serial violator of the law is obviously one who has no capacity to act in the way of the law and the only option is to be a bull in a China shop.
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