Inyali Peter|11 April 2016|7:00am
When a former U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln in 1809 defined democracy as: "Government of the people, by the people, for the people", nobody understood it as much as Cross River State Governor, Senator Professor Ben Ayade is demonstrating his understanding through his appointment.
The definition which addressed the three representation of a democratic government; "of the people, by the people and for the people" mean different thing to different people.
As a student of democracy, to say a government is of the people simply means that the people, not only government officials are involved in governance. It means that the people are obligated to participate in the runnings of government.
By the people means that, government is formed by the people. It is a creation of what represent the views of the majority. It means that government should be loyal to the public because if the public has the power to hire (set up government), it also has the audacity to fire.
And when a government is said to be for the people, it means that, the essence of government is to protect the interests, views and desire of the people. It emphasized the reality that government is created by the people to cater for their needs not the need of a few minority or reactionary government officials.
However, a critical analysis of the Lincoln postulation reveals that the recent explanation given by my Governor Ayade that he deliberately expanded his cabinet to put food on the tables of the people is a classical departure from the essence of a democratic government.
Having performed their share of responsibility of setting up the government and participating in governance by critiquing and commending government policies, it is incumbent on the government to return the gesture by setting up institutions to provides for the needs of the people.
As a Professor, a former senator and an international business guru, it was rather surprising that the governor has seen cabinet enlargement as a viable solution to creating wealth. This gesture frankly is a demonstration of lack of strong political will.
Cabinet enlargement is not a bad idea as it has the potential to proffer a short term solution to unemployment. Also, as rightly stated by the governor, it truly puts food on the table of the cabinet members within the period of the administration that creates the appointment. But how about when the government is no more in power? Would they still have foods to eat? Still thinking!
One of the major characteristics of a responsible government is to provide a long term solution to the problems not raising the people's hope within a very short period then leaving them to their fate.
A state with a population of over three million with an unemployment rate of about 70%, it is more reasonable to build strong institutions to create wealth as well as put food on their table rather than build strong individuals in a way of appointment.
To think of a deliberate efforts to satisfy the large percentage of unemployed populace in the state, the governor must consider appointing at least more than half of the people into political positions. For instance, if 70% of 3million people are unemployed or underemployed, and the governor is serious to have a representation that will provide foods for this set of people that need government most, he must appoint a least 60% of these people in a scale of 100% which is 1,350 million people into his cabinet.
Truth be told, this is grossly impossible therefore the governor's explanation can be said to be null and void. If his intention corroborate with the statement, then it is an efforts in futility.
It's not enough to create wealth or job but they should be clear policy for the sustainability of the jobs. This is not the case with Governor Ayade.
According to rumour mill, the governor is said to be using the appointment to create his own political structure in the state. It is alleged that he has promised to stop at nothing until he pulled down the structure or umpire he inherited from his predecessor, Senator Liyel Imoke.
This however, is not a new development in Cross River or Nigeria politics. As a politician, it is unavoidably critical to have a structure that would be loyal to you. What is strange is the modus operandi the governor is applying to do this.
There is absolutely no substitute to performance when building a political structure. Government belongs to the people and a free and fair election is won by the goodwill of government at the grassroot. No matter the strength of any government or political structure, when the people feel shortchanged by government policies, there is always a great likelihood that revolt is underway.
A good example of this fact is the protest by Nigerians in 2015 general elections. The then ruling party, The People's Democratic Party, (PDP), never imagined that their so called strong political structure could be brought down by the strong will of the people who were tired of their antics and needed change.
Instead of leaving the state's economy under the weight of a large cabinet, the government should build strong institutions. Wealth should be created through human development. Entrepreneurial projects should be prioritize to serve as a panacea to the menace of unemployment.
Retrogressively, in Lincoln's democratic postulation, he said, democracy is by far the most challenging form of government – both for politicians and for the people. But the challenge which was however not properly defined by the postulation can be seen in different perspectives.
To a politician, the challenge could mean the processes of politicking and winning trust to get into power and the ability of sustaining the trust while in government. While to the people, it could mean the risk of voting politicians into power.
Howbeit, in Cross River, since the return of uninterrupted democracy in 1999, the challenge of democracy for politicians and the people has moved in succession of governments.
While the state pride itself as the most peaceful in the country, the enormity of challenges which has caused discontent among the people as a result of failure of the political class and leadership to address the immediate needs of the people has continued to loom.
Besides, Imoke and Duke have had their own share of criticism and applause. Whether the current administration is suffering from the weaknesses of the two former administrations, Cross Riverians for the next three years will hold Ayade responsible for their welfare.
While some people have commended Ayade for his vision for the state and his oratory prowess, a large chunk of Cross Riverians believe he is still very insensitive to the urgent needs of his people.
To say the least, in almost eleven months of Ayade's administration, governance has been reduced to a huge joke. He has not walk his talk or showed glimpses of seriousness towards walking his talk.
How can a governor claim to be putting food on people's table via appointment when he doesn't pay them? Has the governor secretly established a rice factory or cassava village he promised for just his appointees without letting the public know? Why put unnecessary pressure on unsuspecting Cross Riverians in the name of appointment?
Aside the fact that the state economy is threatened by the large cabinet, the appointees are suffering. Members of their families, constituents and friends are on their neck but they cannot do anything because they are deliberately starved of funds.
Today, eight months after most of the appointment was pronounced, it is only once that they have been paid. And the payment was not really defined whether it was their salaries, allowances or a gift from the governor.
In the state payroll office, only six appointees in Ayade's administration out of hundreds are accommodated. The Chief of Staff, Chief Security Adviser, Secretary to the State Government, Chief Protocol Officer, Chief Press Secretary and Senior Special Adviser on Event Management.
With situations like this, it is difficult to challenge political watchers who perceive him (Ayade) as a cosmetic politician who is very good in the act of spinning. This is a bad precedent this administration is setting.
Appointment without empowerment, portfolio, office and logistics to run the office activities is as a good as no appointment. Instead of deceiving Cross Riverians, the appointees himself (governor), it is high time the truth be told.
Perhaps, this could mean that the governor is aware that the state cannot sustain the large cabinet but had deliberately refused to act on the reality on ground.
Although the governor has come under severe attack for shunning NEC retreat and attended Tinubu's colloquium few days latter for whatever reason, he must act on the recommendation of the retreat that urged state government to cut down number of political appointees.
The true positions of things must urgently take shape. It will be wrong to say they should be sacked because they were not in the first instance properly engaged. So however the governor want to do it, the state economy must be freed. He should give the public the opportunity to know what to hold him responsible for than inviting unnecessary attacks on himself over things that are not in existence.
So many people are still ignorantly assuming that the current administration still has four years. This is absurd because the administration both at state and federal level have only two active years to rule.
Let me explain, the current democratic dispensation has spent ten months which means almost a year is gone. The next two years will be very crucial years as any serious government that want to return to power in 2019 must deliver dividends of democracy sufficiently to win public trust.
The last one year will be greatly a year of strategic plannings for political parties and the government in power on how to win the next election. There will be a lot of distraction that will naturally disrupt the performance of any administration in this year.
So it's better to say that both President Buhari and Governor Ayade have just two years and about one months to perform than living on the illusion of four years.
In the case of the federal government, there's hope because the ridiculous amount of money allegedly recovered from the reactionaries who breached public trust can overturn the current hardship that the nation is going through. The prices of oil is gradually gathering momentum while the efforts of the President to diversifying the economy may soon produce results.
In Cross River, what is the hope? We don't have oil, our internally generated revenue has dropped uncontrollably. The numerous MOUs signed by the governor has not started manifestation and the people are becoming weary of what the problems and solutions could be.
Will the deliberate enlargement of cabinet to put food on the table of more Cross Riverians allow the government to fund some of the voodoo signature projects? Is it right to say that things seem not to be working because the state is under the weight of large cabinet? The state urgently need a sincere explanation from the governor.
Inyali Peter
Is the media aide to former APC Gubernatorial Candidate, Odey Ochicha
