allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Wamakko, Opposition - the Truth of the Matter (Page 1 of 1)

Jeanne Kirkpatrick, a scholar and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, once said "democratic elections are not merely symbolic....They are competitive, periodic and inclusive." Democratic elections are competitive, in that, opposition parties and candidates enjoy the freedom of speech, assembly, and movement necessary to voice their criticisms of the government openly and to bring alternative policies and candidates to the voters. Democratic elections are also periodic because voters do not elect dictators and they are inclusive, as citizens and voters must be large enough to make a large proportion of the adult population.

When Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko's election on April 14, 2007 as Sokoto governor was nullified by the Court of Appeal in Kaduna on technical grounds, thousands of people from the state were amazed by the court's ruling. This is simply for the fact that their decision to elect him was not only symbolic but also inclusive.

Indeed, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made every Nigerian proud, particularly with the re-run elections in Sokoto, Bayelsa, Kogi and Adamawa states, whose earlier elections were nullified on technical grounds by the election petitions tribunals. It is unfortunate, therefore, that while the people of Sokoto decided to vote for progress, peace and stability, the opposition are unable to come to terms with the realities that threw them out of power and relevance. They should know that every good politician would want to see the progress of his people and would therefore strive to ensure peace and avoid utterances capable of dividing the people.

In sharp contrast to what the opposition stands for, Wamakko has since evolved strategies to take the state to greater heights. Once a great citadel of learning, farming and politics, the state has been rated as backward because of poor governance in the past.

The election re-run of May 24, therefore, attests to this fact when the people of the state again came out en-mass to cast their votes for Wamakko. A cursory look at the political developments in the state would reveal that Governor Wamakko had an easy sail at the last election re-run. He defeated his DPP opponent, Magari Dingyadi, with an unimaginable margin. Governor Wamakko polled 562,395 votes, while DPP's, Maigari Dingyadi scored 124,046 votes. Maigari's votes in the election re-run drastically plummeted compared to the April 14, 2007 elections, while Wamakko's geometrically increased.

Wamakko's success can be tied to several factors, among them, his good leadership style which endears him to his people. So far, he has become a rallying point for the people of the state irrespective of their political differences. People look up to him as a leader who came to salvage them from the agony they were taken through in the past.

It is on record that Governor Wamakko has demonstrated leadership qualities that are comparable to none in the political history of Sokoto in the recent past. Governor Wamakko, popularly referred to by his people as ALU, is a man of the people. He warms himself into the heart of the people because of his open door policy and for attending to their complaints. He did a lot during his brief stint at the Sokoto Government House before the Court of Appeal nullified his earlier election. He had set up a committee to review the conditin of the state's infrastructure. Infact, the committee's report gave him the clear picture of how to tackle the infrastructure problem.

The governor pledged during his electioneering campaign and after winning the April 14, 2007, election that he would operate an open door policy in the running of his government. In fulfilment of this promise, he appointed an independent consultancy firm to survey the people's needs and opinion with a view to get their inputs on the way they want to be governed.

Within the nine months that he governed before the nullification of his earlier election, the people had witnessed positive changes that have impacted positively on their lives.

For the first time in the history of the state, fertilizer and other farming inputs were distributed to farmers at affordable prices and at the time they needed it. The governor did not only supply the fertilizer in good time, but also gave it out on loan, payable only after the farmers have harvested their crops.

Also within that periods the governor was able to connect 60 towns and villages to the national grid in addition to the provision of adequate health and medical facilities in the state, including free medical care for women and children.

The education sector was also re- structured to make it result oriented. The discriminatory school fees for children of non - indigenes were removed. This was a sharp contrast to the policies of the past administration in the state in which even parents from the neighboring Kebbi and Zamfara States had to pay school fees for their children's education.

Governor Wamakko equally restored the confidence of the business community in the state who were largely marginalized by an oligarchy which monopolized all government contracts in the past.

Also, his administration immediately came to the rescue of the dilapidated state of business in the state by assisting the victims of Sokoto market fire disasters.

The construction of the commercially and economically important Sokoto - Illela road is yet another high point of Wamakko's impressive record in just nine months. The administration became open and accessible to the people in true democratic traditions unlike the style of the previous administration when the leaders in government alienated themselves. Another vital thing the administration did is the restoration of the morale of civil servants, the teachers, health workers, judicial officers and other trade union members. With this background, Wamakko's achievements speak for him and his return will be another opportunity for him to continue the good work he has started.

The fresh mandate of the voters would also go a long way to consolidate these achievements. The voters have made their choice wisely by giving their votes to a man of humility, modesty, decency, accessibility and respect for public opinion and the rule of law. The people of Sokoto State should use this opportunity to give further support to Wamakko to further enjoy the fruits of democracy.

On the part of the opposition, now that the game is over, it is imperative for them to unite with the present administration in the state to serve the interest of the people of the state in particular and Nigeria in general. Fighting him even after reclaiming his mandate can only amount to political naivety and lack of wisdom which may in turn, stunt the development of the state.

Gidadawa wrote in from Sokoto.

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