On this piece, DIRISU YAKUBU examines the follow of sitting governors demolishing property owned by their opponents to attain political factors
The Chinese language army strategist, Mao Zedong, outlined politics as battle with out bloodshed. Occasions in Nigeria’s political setting up to now few years have lent credence to that temporary however deep-seated definition.
Seen largely as an authoritative allocation of values in society, politics in Nigeria typically morph right into a vengeful mission to drum house the trimmings and essence of energy by those that wield it.
Up to now few years, Nigerians have been handled to ugly episodes of sitting governors who tackle their opponents as quickly as elections are over.
Being a zero-sum sport on this a part of the world, politics within the type of private assault, replaces electioneering politics when a winner emerges notably on the sub-national degree.
In 2020, shortly after he was sworn in for a second time period in workplace, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki turned the warmth towards the state ex-deputy governor, Mr Pius Odubu, and different All Progressives Congress chieftains, who opposed his second-term governorship aspiration.
The Certificates of Occupancy of their property had been revoked alongside that of his personal, stating that they had been authorities property which former Governor Adams Oshiomhole gave as parting presents to former political workplace holders, corporations and personal people.
“On December 21, 2020, the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, revoked the Certificates of Occupancy of 11 authorities properties inside the Authorities Reserved Space which had been allotted to former political workplace holders, corporations and personal people as parting presents on the eve of the exit of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole from workplace. One of many properties was allotted to Governor Obaseki and was additionally revoked,” a authorities assertion learn.
Taking a clue from Obaseki’s playbook, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, wasted no time in getting all the way down to enterprise because the Owerri constructing of the then spokesperson for his predecessor, Sam Onwuemeodo, was marked for demolition by officers of the state authorities.
Onwuemeodo, who presently serves as Particular Adviser on Media to Rochas Okorocha, had said that the one cause the constructing was marked for demolition was his political affiliation with the previous governor.
He mentioned, “They’ve marked the home the place I’ve been dwelling with my household for demolition. As of now, no one has instructed me the explanation for marking my home for demolition.
“On Friday, March 19, 2021, somebody referred to as and instructed me to be very cautious, as a result of the federal government has determined to demolish my home; that by Tuesday, March 23, 2021, my home could be marked for demolition. And to keep away from making it look private, they might additionally mark different homes round my very own.
“Following this data, on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, I made a decision to not depart the home early. By 11:22am, two Hummer buses with tinted glasses got here and parked in entrance of my gate. I made a decision solely to look at them. The 2 buses had been full of younger males I wouldn’t like to explain as thugs and about six hefty males in cellular police uniforms, absolutely armed.”
Earlier than then, Uzodinma, whose political battles with Okorocha are effectively documented, had ordered the demolition of seven roundabouts constructed by the latter.
On his half, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, in 2023, ordered the demolition of buildings on authorities lands offered by the speedy previous administration of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
In an illustration of the manager energy he possessed, Yusuf, accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gummel, was bodily current to witness the demolition of the property.
Though the property, in response to the state authorities, was illegally constructed, many commentators attributed the event to the perennial rift between Ganduje and Abba’s political godfather, Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso.
In his inaugural speech shortly after the 2023 election, Abba, who gained on the platform of the New Nigeria Folks’s Social gathering, gave a marching order to safety businesses within the state to right away take over all public property offered by Ganduje’s administration.
“I’m saying as we speak, that each one these public locations and belongings that had been immorally plundered and offered by the Ganduje’s administration must be taken over by legislation enforcement businesses, led by the police, the DSS, Civil Defence, and Hisbah pending the ultimate resolution of the federal government.
“These locations are meant for public utilisation. It’s subsequently disheartening to witness the incessant destruction and conversion of public locations which can be used to render social companies by unpatriotic residents. We will carry an finish to land grabbing and indiscriminate erection of unlawful buildings within the state,” he warned.
Final week, Crystal Place, a shopping center positioned on Sulu Gambari Street in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, was demolished allegedly on the orders of the state authorities.
In his response, a former governor of the state, Bukola Saraki, famous that the mall, owned by Mr Moshood Mustapha, was introduced down owing to the latter’s political affiliation with him.
Mustapha was commissioner and particular adviser to Saraki and a Home of Representatives member on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering till he defected to the APC.
Saraki, the chief of the PDP in Kwara State, has remained the opposition chief within the state since his celebration misplaced management of energy in 2019 to the ruling APC.
With this trajectory displaying no signal of abating, distinguished Nigerians have warned of the dire penalties on the nation’s socio-economic growth if left unchecked.
Talking with Sunday PUNCH, a former Minister of Training, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, lamented the demolition of buildings erected with big sums of cash whilst he referred to as for an finish to the menace.
In keeping with him, “it’s a symptom of Nigeria’s vindictive politics of bitterness,” which he famous, shouldn’t be inspired for any cause.
On his half, newspaper columnist and present affairs commentator, Mr Jide Ojo, agreed with Prof. Adeniran, stressing that the event might be a results of envy or jealousy.
He mentioned, “It’s an unwholesome growth, which leaves a bitter style within the mouth. That is the carriage of vindictiveness to the best degree. I feel it’s borne out of envy, jealousy or the pull-him-down syndrome. There was the one between Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State, and Gbenga Daniels. A multi-billionaire challenge of Daniel was demolished.”
Persevering with, Ojo warned politicians to take advantage of energy within the curiosity of the folks.
“It additionally exhibits the transient nature of energy. If you find yourself there, you need to undo the legacies of your predecessor and when your successor comes, he does the identical to you.
“We might broaden the argument to incorporate the craze by the incumbent to hurriedly fee tasks that aren’t accomplished. On this growth, there is no such thing as a belief that if you don’t full your personal challenge, your successor will provide you with credit score for it when he completes it,” he added.
Requested to throw extra mild on the non-completion of tasks, Ojo mentioned, “On the eve of the departure of the previous governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, he hurriedly commissioned the Ekiti State Airport they usually flew one army plane to the runway and gathered non secular and conventional rulers so as to add color to the ceremony.
“Nonetheless, because the commissioning of the airport, no personal or industrial plane has flown to the state. What that tells you is that the case of undoing your predecessor could also be chargeable for this growth. Incumbents hurriedly do some issues, and publish books to doc that XYZ tasks had been accomplished throughout the lifetime of their administration even when such tasks had been solely 70 per cent accomplished.
“The identical factor is going on now in Rivers State. Gov Siminalayi Fubara is popping towards Nyesom Wike and Wike himself did the identical to Amaechi. Wike arrange a judicial fee of enquiry to probe Amaechi, accusing him of promoting the patrimony of Rivers State,” he mentioned.
He nonetheless added that there’s nothing flawed if demolitions of property are carried out in public curiosity.
“If a constructing is erected on a inexperienced space or a spot designated for rest, in fact, there’s nothing flawed to demolish it. We all know that some governors typically use their affect to amass alternative property in violation of the legislation. If such an allocation is revoked and the constructing demolished, it’s so as.”
Additionally talking on the political pattern, a pro-democracy advocate and founding father of Ladies Come up, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, in a phone dialog with our correspondent, described the event as unlucky.
“It’s a retrogressive type of governance as we now have noticed that demolition of property has solely concerned political opposition or any politically uncovered individuals that maintain a distinct political ideology to the governors of those states. Private vendetta is a manifestation of a flawed character. I enchantment to our public servants so as to add conscience to their service,” she mentioned.
Additionally talking, a chieftain of the APC, Mr Jackson Ojo, mentioned, “The motion of governors that demolish their opponent’s buildings and properties is sheer govt recklessness. Gov Abba did it in Kano State towards Ganduje. It’s financial sabotage. A few of these properties are on hire to folks. Demolishing properties on account of political variations is sheer wickedness. It’s towards the legislation.”
Taking a barely completely different place is the Chairman of the Human and Environmental Improvement Agenda, Mr Suraju Olanrewaju.
Describing the tradition of demolition as the peak of political intolerance, the HEDA boss referred to as for maturity among the many political class, noting that politics should be concerning the folks, quite than a way for settling private variations.
“The penchant of our political workplace holders for intolerance is at its worst crescendo. The governors are the worst culprits as they use the state equipment and affect to silence dissent, criticism, and opposition. That is chargeable for the growing fee of political violence throughout the nation.
“Politics is actually about public service. Politicians ought to realise that they’re in energy to serve and to not pursue political vendetta towards their political foes. The sooner they realise this, the higher for them, the residents and the nation as a complete,” he mentioned.