As the 2023 general elections continue to generate frenzied activities, high-wire politicking, scheming, alignment and realignment of political blocks, it is becoming clearer the depth of competence or otherwise of some aspirants aiming for various political offices.
As democracy continue to evolve in Nigeria, we must begin to take a cue from well-established democracies as practiced in the civilized nations of the world such as the United States of America as well as Europe.
A striking feature of democracy in those nations is that politics are completely issues-based devoid of personal sentiments.
Politics is about key issues and policies of governance, how to bring about positive transformation in the society through provision of infrastructure to drive development, promote peace and unity as well as ensure social justice and political inclusiveness.
These are fundamental basis of leadership. Leaders and aspiring politicians must begin to provide workable blueprints on how they intend to implement their campaign promises. A recent statement credited to Mr. Mathias Byuan a 2023 Governorship aspirant under the platform of the APC in Benue State at a media interaction calls for reflection.
He was alleged to have stated that he will create grazing reserves for herders in Benue State and negotiate with them with the aim of allowing their cattle graze in designated areas.
From the reactions generated from the statement, it is clear that such an unguarded statement is highly misguided, ill-advised and misinforming.
The Governor Samuel Ortom administration is not at war with any ethnic group, socio-cultural or religious group in Benue State as the State has always promote peace and harmony as confirmed by Nigerians from various ethnic and religious group working and doing their legitimate businesses in the state.
There is no basis for negotiations as Governor Ortom has always welcome any superior option to the ranching law to be brought to the table for consideration.
What the Governor has been drawing the attention of relevant authorities to is the activities of criminal elements of armed herders who have been invading Benue rural communities and inflicting destruction on such communities.
These armed herders have never hidden their aim of taking over the ancestral lands of the Benue people.
An aspiring office holder should be able to come up with well-articulated plan to actualized his vision. If you are to create grazing reserves, what happens to the provisions of the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017? A law that adequately protects the farmers and their farmlands as well as protects the herdsmen against cattle rustling.
Why the silence over this law and in what ways is the creation of a so-called grazing reserves a better alternative than ranches and what modalities is going to be adopted in creating such reserves? What about the plight of thousands of IDPs.?
Campaign promises of construction of flyovers, establishing industries and equipping them with machines, promoting agricultural produce export, rural renewal, establishment of Ministry of Disaster Management and Stomach Infrastructure amongst others are all laudable initiatives by an opposition aspirant.
Such initiatives should however be supported with effective action plans on how to finance and implement these ideas.
Already, Benue State has State Emergency Management Agency to manage disasters and humanitarian issues, a function the agency has been carrying out well despite the huge burden of IDPs in the State.
The Benue State Community Volunteer Law of 2000 already provides for Benue State Community Volunteer Guards to complement the efforts of the convention security agencies of the government. Is the opposition Governorship aspirant going to scrap these outfits in favour of his proposed Benue State Security Watchdog?
Governance involves creative ways of raising funds and transparent application of such funds for provision of social services such as roads, healthcare, electricity, water, creating enabling environment for investors to create jobs as well as meeting liabilities of civil servants’ salaries and pension including inherited liabilities.
The Ortom administration has being able to work hard to provide good roads, healthcare facilities, roads, invest in education, security, agriculture as well as promoting agriculture-based investment opportunities with appreciable results despite dwindling resources as being witnessed across the states. Ultimately, God gives leadership as He pleases.
From (Abrahams Kwaghngu) The Principal Special Assistant on Special Duties to the Benue State Governor