After Governor Nasamu Dakin Gari: 2015: QUALITIES THE NEXT KEBBI GOVERNOR MUST POSSESS Kabir Abubakar Soja Writes from Birnin-Kebbi Among the many motivations candidates have for going into politics, particular running for Governor, are to pursue power, money, fame, redeem themselves of their past records, retaliate some real or perceived wrongs, self-actualize, and, of course, create economic development, etc. What makes this troubling is that most of our potential candidates desire this supreme office themselves, labouring consciously and assiduously to obtain it. At this moment, Kebbians just can’t afford to keep doing some of what we’ve been doing that didn’t work, the same way. We are ready to come together and choose a future for the State, just likewe did when we elected the charismatic Governor, Shehu Kangiwa in the former Sokoto State, at a time when regions, Emirates and tribes did not define a potential leader, or determine the leader’s acceptance by the people. Talking to many Kebbians, the criteria they are looking for in our next Governor, among other things, include a candidate with a visionary economic policy that encourages growth and job creation for the State. Also a candidate who believes that true progress on education will require more resources and serious reform. The most important qualities of a good leader are integrity, character, and judgment. We need a Governor whose policies are pragmatic and visionary; who understands the needs for leadership in confronting many of the challenges ahead, first and foremostdefending the safety and security of all Kebbians, as without peace there cannot be development. It’s time to choose a leadership with a fresh perspective for a changing world - for a potential governor who understands the unconventional challenges we face and who can lead us to overcome them. We need a leader who can inspire us, unite us around the principles that we share and rally us to a common purpose. We demand that he turns the page on politics of the past; the politics of tearing each other apart. Instead, he should offer a pragmatic, smart, and principled strategy, with bold and specific ideas that carries everyone along to achieve long lasting security and opportunity. The next governor must assure us that, as chief executive, he will require that all political appointees possess relevant professional qualifications and experience related to the core mission of all the departments, ministries and agencies for which they are nominated,thereby ensuring integrity and competence in the execution of theirmissions. As for the unemployed youths of Kebbi State, he has to create an enabling environment for them to find productive employment, and opportunity to advance their education. Kebbians need a candidate who is comfortable with modern technology, so that he can put government data online, creating a centralized database and user-friendly search engine accessible toall, to give a level playing field and equal opportunity. The next governor must create an open-door policy. Because in a democracy, it shouldn’t be just the loyalists, the wealthy, and the well-connected that should have access and influence. He should have periodic engagements with the people via Kebbi-TV and live on the ground, in a “town-hall” meeting style, also use his position to be a motivational speaker, to motivate Kebbi people toaction towards common goals, for our mutual benefits, using leadership by example. On public officers, offices should be so fairly distributed among the various sections of the society as to exclude no individual groups above others. When it comes to advisers, he must select only men/ women of conscience and probity, as we are wary of sycophants and hangers-on. The candidate should posses international connections so that, asGovernor, he will bring foreign direct investments to Kebbi State, after creating an enabling business environment for international and multinational companies to invest for our mutual benefits. We need a visionary who would take advantage of each regions unique potential. Argungu, Kamba, Jega, Zuru and Yauri can have projects to do with tourism, free trade zone, commercial capital of the state, agricultural and fishery centres respectively. We need a candidate that would assure us that Birnin-Kebbi will be the best of the best. That all the state capitals created since 1991, in Nigeria, will wish to copy and follow the coming Birnin-Kebbi model of what a State capital should be and look-like. Borrowing from the Kenyan example, with Abdullahi Fodio’s ‘Hubbare,’ Kanta Museum, Zuru Uhola and Argungu fishing festivals, and other innovative ideas, Kebbi State can become a tourist Mecca, year round instead of seasonal. We need a governor that will have the vision to create an international free trade zone in Kamba, with proximity to Niger and Benin Republics. These French speaking neighbours and other African countries will find a haven next door to invest. With adequate security, infrastructure, enabling environment, and skilled workforce in place, companies from other countries may follow tooperate tax-free for a number of years as incentive. To further reap the benefits of this initiative, he should make Frenchlanguage to be a required learning in our school. And as china is poised and projected to become the number one largest economy in the world in the coming years, it behoves him to be proactive and give our children a head start in learning Mandarin Chinese. Kebbians wouldn’t approve of candidates that are intellectuallybankrupt, devoid of ideas, vision, or mission, getting us mired and entangled into debating trivialities in this political contest, so as to create diversionary tactics to move away from debating the real issues at stake, perhaps because discussing the real issues will expose them as empty vessels and incompetent. Keep our debates on ideas, not personality. There is no doubt that Kebbi electorates will go for a candidate for governor that is solid, achieving, receptive, kind, impartial, nationalistic, youthful, accountable, knowledgeable, immaculate and who would Bring Everyone Long Lasting Opportunities for the people of Kebbi State. - DAILY TRUST (dailytrust.info/opinion/23445-qualities-the-next-kebbi-governor-must-possess)
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 08:14:27 +0000
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