NIGERIA BELONGS TO EVERYBODY, IT BELONGS TO NOBODY

I wasn't really what you would call a party-goer in my younger days but I had a lot of friends who were and as such,I knew what the Party terrain felt like.There were parties you could afford to attend alone because the majority were friends and you wouldn't encounter any difficulty slotting into the fun and there were also parties you didn't attend except a few friends were willing to tag along.Occupying the 'losers section' alone amidst unfamiliar faces could be very depressing.That is what President Buhari's non-northern appointees seem to be doing-Occupying the 'loser's section' in his appointment list.Its a northern party and everyone has to deal with it.
It is quite alarming that of all the 29 appointments made by President Buhari so far, there is not a single person from the South East.And in the Strict sense,he hasn't really lived up to his 'Political Reality' by placing those who voted for him in droves ahead of those who didn't if the South West can only boast of 3 appointments. 
President Buhari has long been labelled an incurable ethnic bigot by a lot of people,a lot of whom aren't actively involved in politics.His critics during the Presidential elections campaign pointed to his detention of Chief Alex Ekwueme; Shagari's Vice-President at Kirikiri Prisons while placing the leader of the Government; Shehu Shagari under house arrest after the 1983 Coup that brought him to power as Military Head of State.Vice-Presidents can't be more 'guilty' than their bosses.It didn't make sense.
Then in more recent history,some have said PTF projects favoured the North more when he was Chairman during the Sani Abacha regime.What however, put those doubtful minds to rest was the fact that this was a democratic dispensation where he would govern by the Constitution with the presence of appropriate checks on his Power and what more?.The man declared himself a born-again democrat and erased the 'General' in his name.Today as things stand,nobody can effectively defend PMB against those voices.The North West is leading the pack with 13 appointments,then the North East with 6 which is closely followed by the South-South with 5 and then you have the North Central and South West with 3 slices of the pie each.One thing is clear-justice isn't being done if the South East hasn't gotten an appointment out Of 29 made so far.
They are the worst victims of the President's 'Some are more Equal than Others depending on how you Voted' Philosophy.Our Constitution provides for Federal Character in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution and one can't possibly rationalize its absence with what is on ground.I emphasized on the South East because legally, the President can escape any fall-out occasioned by the non-abidance to this Section if anyone makes a go premised on the crux; northern domination by an argument that the North East,Central and West are different zones and that the Constitutional Provision mentions only States,Ethnic or other Sectional Groups.Hence, the South East scorn remains the most viable weapon in a purely 'Suit and Tie' argument.Some of our laws  are bad because they weren't properly drafted thereby leaving room for convenient interpretations and also because of the absence of foresight on the part of the draftsman.In a polity like ours, it is wise to be very specific and unequivocal on anything involving all ethnic interests. The phrase 'Federal Character' needs to be properly dwelt upon whenever any chance to amend our Constitution presents itself to leave no room for ambiguity and to cater for a situation like this where the 'North' are different regions,states and ethnicities. Not to take anything from the man,Buhari has performed exceptionally well so far but you can't help wanting to hate him for how he is going about things.
Even if one takes his promise to accord special status to those who voted for him en masse into consideration,it would still be hard to figure out why a less populated South-South who didn't turn up for him has more appointments than the South West who practically ensured his victory this time around.A certain degree of maturity is expected of someone of PMB's age.It is presumed that he already knows what this is capable of doing to this nation having fought in the Civil War.It could spark off some very bad sentiments that just might snowball into something else or set a trend that could ultimately lead to the disintegration of this Country.Its high time the President realizes Nigeria belongs to everybody,It belongs to nobody. 

NASS:GIVING A MASTER-SERVANT RELATIONSHIP ITS TRUE MEANING

After the Sen.James Manager led ad hoc committee on finance set up to reduce the salaries and allowances of senators submitted its report,a lot of people started counting down to the day its recommendations would be debated on the floor of the Senate.It didn't matter how rancorous it gets,we just hoped to hear what was being suggested as their new pay and to also identify the chief 'enemy of progress' who would kick-start any opposition to the recommendation that they make their financial books open.

It is sad what nature has thrust at us.Everyone is annoyingly helpless when it comes to the large sums our lawmakers command as remuneration.They cannot be compelled to do what is right by anyone including the President.
As a matter of fact,many think that helplessness birthed the calls by some to scrap the Senate in the heat of the #OccupyNASS campaign.So it was a most welcome development that they seemed serious about conforming to the 'Mood of the Nation', to borrow the words of the Senate President.
A reduction in the budget of the National Assembly from N150 Billion to N120 Billion isn't enough to make us bring out the drums, only a clear drastic pay cut would.For all we care, it may all be 'mathematical gymnastics' that will though save us some money but ultimately have a minimal effect on extravagance and that would amount to a 'beautiful nonsense'.It could end up meaning just a N2 million deduction from their salaries and less trips or miscellaneous expenses.The term 'budget' encompasses a lot.
It was most heart breaking that the Senate opted for a closed door session on Wednesday 12th August; the day slated for the debate and emerged with a decision to stand it down for further legislative input effectively making a lot of people lose hope in the process.Perhaps we needed to be jolted back to reality.
The decision to interface with the House of Reps seems most pleasant on the face of it but barely conceals the fact that they aren't favourably disposed to implementing the recommendations.Why wasn't a joint committee of both Houses formed in the first place?.My gut tells me we may have to end up settling for any amount necessitated by the cut in the NASS budget and just how would we know that amount if the lawmakers don't want to stop sharing their money behind 'closed doors'?.
The recommendation that their books be made public is one that got me highly exhilarated at first but the thought of a majority 'nays' shooting it down switched me back to straight-face mode.
The good people of Nigeria deserve to know not only how much is being sent the way of the NASS but also how it is being put to use.
It is highly embarrassing for a democratic government in this age and time and its people to whom sovereignty belongs, to have salaries of public officials and public expenditure sealed from the public even after countless applications under the Freedom of Information Act; a law made by our lawmakers themselves.
Its absurd for a Senator to earn N29.5 Million monthly and take home quarterly allocations of N45 Million where the minimum wage is N18,000.Things have to change. 
I was disgusted by comments credited to some unnamed senators in a couple of news reports.While maintaining that the cut in their budget was enough,one cited the cost of his house rent-N10 Million, in opposing a further reduction while the other said he had to 'settle' people from his constituency who visit his office.I wondered if I would have been any more suprised if another had said his wife wears only Gucci and Ferragamo.
To be candid,I don't think a Senator and his Reps counterpart ought to earn more than N7 Million and N4 Million respectively in a month.Public office holders are meant to serve the people and not the other way round.
As the Senators continue to interface with the Reps,I hope they realize its time to face reality-What is right is right and nothing can change that.
Earning what they should and making their financial records public would amount to giving their relationship with the people its true meaning; a Master-Servant relationship.We-the Masters and they-the Servants.I pray it turns out that way.

SEN.KWANKWASO V GOV.GANDUJE: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE,THIS IS KANO!!

If I were to write on the Power of Music,I would most likely make reference to how a hausa song urging Engr.Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to return for a second stint as Governor of Kano state became a hit and endeared him to Kanonians.One can't possibly trace the root of his popularity en route the Guber polls in 2011 to anything else. This was a man who was practically disgraced out of office by the same people in 2003.Same people who sang the praises of his successor to high heavens for most of his 8 year reign only to turn on him and everything he stood for when the Kwankwasiyya movement started to gather momentum.This tells you 2 things-What a good song can do and how drastically things can change in Kano politics.
Thankfully, he hit the ground running when he assumed office and the Kwankwasiyya Movement went on to become the largest in Northern Nigeria in modern times.At least 1 out of every 5 people wearing the native attire had the Governor's trademark red cap to go with it.Every aspirant to any public office in the APC fold had his picture alongside theirs on their poster rather than Muhammadu Buhari's as was the case in virtually all Northern states.He strolled in from Abuja and had his son-in-law relinquish the APC ticket to contest the Kano Central Senatorial seat after losing the Presidential Primaries.It would be a taboo if he had been opposed.You wouldn't be wrong to say he was the P in Kano  Politics and it was so easy to forget he was the most hated person in the state at some point with no adducable reason for the transformation to the most loved other than a song.
Permutations as to his most likely successor kicked off as early as his 2nd year in office and they kept ending up with one verdict-his two term deputy; Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.He was perceived as a core loyalist to the leader of the movement who had never had cause to fall out with him in any of his stints as Governor.Kwankwaso had served Kano people exceptionally well and his deputy contesting on the 'Continuity' card would be an easy sell.He eventually clinched the ticket and put rumours of the Governor wanting someone else but being pulled back by the need to reward his loyalty to bed.
Concerns immediately arose as to the sustainability of their relationship judging from who both men really were.Kwankwaso is outspoken at all times, temperamental a lot of people say and one who has earned every right to wade into issues on the ground of wanting what is best for the people even from Abuja.You couldn't possibly see him withdrawing from the forefront of Kano politics and on the other hand,Abdullahi Ganduje didn't strike anyone as a greenhorn that would gladly assume the lucky beneficiary role and forfeit the chance to carve a niche for himself.
The public disclosure by the transition committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Prof.Hafizu Abubakar that the Kwankwaso administration left behind a 300 billion naira debt was subsequently rationalized by Governor Ganduje himself who attributed it to the drop in oil prices and further emphasized that he was in a position to know being a part and parcel of the decisions of the government.It came as a rude shock when he blamed the same government days ago for neglecting to pay the tuition fees of students studying abroad for a whole year thereby accruing a 3 Billion naira debt.No one expected a war to kick off on that note with the Governor having seemingly shut down that medium.There was no excuse on the previous Government's behalf this time rather what caught the eye were the words-'For whatever reason'.
This has heated up the political climate in the state in no small measure with both camps pondering their next move.If the Governor refuses to make another U-turn like he did after the transition committee report and proceeds to wage a full scale 'Kill or be Killed' war against Senator Kwankwaso, he will open a new chapter in Kano folklore if he emerges unscathed.
Unlike his former boss, he isn't a great mobilizer of troops and will find it difficult to woo converts to his cause especially from where it matters most at the moment-the state house of assembly. As things stand, no one would expect even the Member representing his constituency to vote against any move to impeach him if it ever gets to that.
But what the Governor has going for him is the fact that this is a new era where anyone would find it difficult to stage a 'Hollywood' impeachment under the gross misconduct ground.The most feasible means of exacting revenge if the Governor stays cautious would be denying him the party ticket in 2019 which seems too long a time for things to stay the same.I can't possibly forsee any means of making the State ungovernable for the man right now other than criticisms and more criticisms with everyone grabbing the opportunity to impress the State Party Leader as is the case presently.
He has ample time to woo the core Kwankwasiyya elements,seize control of the party and change the status quo before then.Like Walter Annenberg rightly said-"The Greatest power is Political Power".
There is a cold war between the two political gladiators in the state like a lot of observers rightly predicted.The most loved politician in the state since Aminu Kano can go back to being its worst villain overnight.This is Kano where anything is possible.