Outgoing governors: Legacies and failures

On Monday, May 29, no less than 18 governors across the country will step down from the illustrious office after having done their part to contribute to the growth of the states in which they served. The other 17 governors each served for eight years, with the exception of Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, who was only in office for four years because he was unable to win re-election.

The 17 out-going governors include Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Muhammad Badaru Abubakar (jigawa) and Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina).

The rest are Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano) Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger).

For a total of 2,922 days, these men carried out their daily duties by repairing and constructing various elements of the physical environment, such as roads and homes. They also examined issues pertaining to education, healthcare, and the welfare of the populace, amongst others, in a manner that garnered both praise and criticism from the audience. Therefore, as they leave office, governors are leaving behind a legacy that includes both the achievements that will be remembered as their legacies and the shortcomings that will be remembered as their failures.

Masari’s sojourn in Katsina

In Katsina, Governor Masari will be remembered for a number of accomplishments, including the construction of the state’s first flyover and an increase in the number of flyovers to three, an increase in the number of students enrolled in schools from 900 to 2.2 million, the hiring of 7,000 S-Power teachers, the building of 22 major roads, 462 rural feeder roads and 185 housing units.

Additionally, he was responsible for the timely payment of salaries to civil servants, as well as the establishment of a minimum wage structure, as well as the payment of gratuities and other benefits to retirees.

His war against banditry and terrorism did not make much of an impact, as terrorists continue to terrorise communities in frontline council areas, despite the fact that he provided logistical support for military and paramilitary personnel and engaged 1,000 volunteers in the fight against insecurity.

Ikpeazu’s scorecard

In the state of Abia, Governor Ikpeazu had a significant impact on the promotion of products that were made in Aba as well as the encouragement of small and medium businesses, also known as SMEs. Because of his leadership, Abia became the state in the South-Eastern region with the lowest crime rate and highest level of tranquilly.

It would be to his credit to introduce cement technology into the process of building roads so that they would last longer.

However, some of the complaints against him include the following: a backlog of workers’ salaries and an inability to pay pensions and gratuities to retirees; a failure to complete the new Abia Government House that was initiated by his predecessor; an inability to fix Aba, the economic honey pot of the state contrary to expectations and the general slogan that “Aba son will rebuild Aba”; and a near collapse of the education sector under his watch as Abia State University Medical College lost its accreditation.

“Mr. Infrastructure,” as WIKE is known in Rivers

In the state of Rivers, Wike undertook the delivery of an unprecedented amount of infrastructure, with some of the flagship projects including the construction of 12 flyovers, the Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School, lifetime duplexes, and exotic cars for state and federal judges serving in Rivers.

He displayed bravery and the political will to speak the truth to power, particularly in confronting abuses of federal power, such as the court ruling on the suits that stopped the FG from making direct deductions from the Federation Account to fund the Nigeria Police Force, NPF. He also exhibited political will to speak the truth to the Nigerian people.

Wike demonstrated his dedication to affirmative action in the pursuit of gender equality by working side-by-side with a female deputy throughout his entire term in office, mandating the appointment of women to the position of deputy chairmen in all Rivers Local Governments, and initiating legislation to outlaw cultural practises that prevent women from inheriting property from their parents.

On the other hand, Wike is being criticised for a number of things, including: being negligent on promotions, retirement, and paying accrued benefits to Rivers civil servants; excessive donation of the state’s commonwealth to other states; being too combative and confrontational on relations with other states based on personal interests, such as demolishing sister Bayelsa state property in Port Harcourt; and being unable to contain criminality in spite of huge deployments of funds.

Okowa’s run in Delta

The eight years that Senator Okowa was in office will not be quickly forgotten due to the unique projects that were completed during that time. These projects include the construction of three new universities, the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, the Maryam Babangida Film Village and Leisure Park, the Asaba storm drainage system, the Ogheye Floating Market, the Koka flyover, and the multi-billion naira ultramodern secretariat that houses all of the ministries, parastatals, and agencies.

In addition to this, he was responsible for the completion and construction of a number of roads across the state and the establishment of the Delta State Job Creation Scheme, which was responsible for the creation of thousands of jobs for youths in the state.

On the other hand, Okowa’s shortcomings include things like tardiness in the payment of pensions and gratuities to retirees, insufficient investment in the power sector, and inadequate waste management and sanitation in certain areas of the state.

Umahi’s rule in Ebonyi at the time

The eight years that Umahi served as Governor of Ebonyi had both positive and negative effects on the lives of the people of Ebonyi.

His legacies include: Construction of over 20 flyovers across the state; Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, Ezza South LGA; Ebonyi Shopping Mall; Christian Ecumenical Centre; new Ebonyi State Government House, Abakaliki; King David University, Uburu, Ohaozara LGA; completion of Ebonyi State House of Assembly; concrete-base roads in the 13 LGAs; and Iyere, the longest span bridge in the South- East zone at Afikpo South LGA.

Despite the fact that he transformed Ebonyi into a construction site despite the state’s limited resources during his tenure as governor, Governor Umahi is facing an overwhelming number of complaints and criticisms due to his alleged authoritarian tendencies.

One of the shortcomings is that he is unable to develop comprehensive welfare programmes for the workers in the state. Instead of keeping his word and delivering on his promise to increase workers’ salaries by one hundred percent, he cut those workers’ salaries and made their lives more difficult.

The governor did not investigate the unchecked collection of numerous taxes from the public at large. In addition to this, he was on the watch list for intolerance of opposing viewpoints and had run-ins with the media. At one point, he issued an order for the arrest of Peter Okutu, a correspondent for the Vanguard and the Sun, in response to a report that he believed was unfavourable to him.

During Umahi’s administration, another problem that raised concerns was the government’s tendency to persecute and imprison its own citizens, particularly those individuals whom Umahi regarded as being political adversaries.

Ugwuanyi’s imprints can be found all over Coal City.

The laid-back governor of Enugu State, Ugwuanyi, was responsible for building rural roads throughout the state’s 17 local government areas (LGAs) to connect and open up many communities.

He worked hard to make sure that the state was peaceful, and while security has improved noticeably over the past seven years, there have still been incidents of assaults committed by herders and unidentified gunmen. However, the situation was noticeably improved in comparison to that which prevailed in the neighbouring states of Ebonyi, Anambra, and Imo.
The urban renewal that Ugwuanyi oversaw in the Nsukka township and oversaw himself is a significant part of the legacy that he left for the people of Nsukka. This work has given the University town a new appearance. In conjunction with the urban renewal project, construction began at Igbo-Uno on an annexe to the State Government Secretariat, a stadium, and a medical university.

On the other hand, a number of communities located on the outskirts of Nsukka have been vocal about their discontent.
due to the lack of.
The illegal acquisition of land is one of the most significant criticisms levelled against his government. A great number of local communities and the government are currently at odds over the process by which the government will acquire their land for various projects, the majority of which will be housing estate projects.
A lot of the roads in the metropolitan area have caved in, and residents of Enugu are upset that he did not start an urban renewal project in their city, which is the capital of the state. This would have been an improvement over what his predecessor did.

Lalong’s arduous journey across the Plateau

Simon Lalong, the former governor of Plateau, is leaving both legacies and liabilities in his wake.

One of the legacies he left behind was the initiative to build a fly-over bridge at the British-American junction in Jos, and he started construction on it. In addition to this, he was responsible for the acquisition of imaging and radiodiagnostic equipment for the State Specialist hospital.

In an effort to improve medical care, the governor established the State Healthcare Insurance Scheme, also known as PLASCHEMA. He also focused his attention on the State-owned University, PLASU, which resulted in the accreditation of 17 different degree and certificate programmes.

The health care and educational systems in the hinterlands, on the other hand, are a disgrace. It has been suggested that he will leave behind a significant financial burden. He is also being criticised for the manner in which he managed the various attacks and displacements of persons in the communities throughout the state, particularly in the Irigwe chiefdom of Bassa LGA; Bokkos LGA; and the recent one in over 20 communities in Mangu LGA, where there has not been any immediate support from either the state or the federal governments at the time this report was made. It appeared as though he always presented a picture of peace, even when innocent citizens were being murdered by the aggressors.

Tambuwal’s legacies

It is likely that Governor Tambuwal will be remembered in Sokoto for declaring an education-related state of emergency during his tenure. In various locations across the state, he built new schools and added classrooms to existing ones. The State University Teaching Hospital, the Girls Science Academy, the Sokoto State University of Education, the Sokoto State College of Nursing Sciences, Tambuwal, and the Government Secondary School in Gudu were all built with his assistance.

In the fifth year of Tambuwal’s administration, construction began on two cutting-edge flyovers, as well as the dualization of Dange/Sokoto road and a flyover on Sokoto/Illela road. Both of these endeavours have completed more than 75 percent of their respective work.

Since then, one of the flyovers that was located along the constantly congested road that leads to Abdullahi Fodio and Usumanu Dan Fodiyo University has been commissioned and put into use.

After years of dormancy, several state agencies, including the state investment house, the state board of internal revenue, and the Sokoto Geographical information system, were brought back to operational status by the governor.

Tambuwal is known for his tolerance of the opposition; however, he has been accused of neglecting the civil service, which has rendered civil servants in the state redundant. Tambuwal is known for his tolerance of the opposition.

When it comes to the payment of retirees’ gratuities, the governor of the state has been at odds with those who have already left their jobs.

Only once, in 2016, has Tambuwal made a gratuity payment in the previous eight years. Gratuities totaling over N7 billion will be left behind by him when he departs in 2023, having been accumulated between 2016 and that year.

The impact that Udom had on Akwa Ibom

In the state of Akwa Ibom, Governor Udom Emmanuel is bowing out of office with a number of accomplishments to his name. After eight years at the helm, Emmanuel will be fondly remembered for the Ibom Airline, which is owned by the state and operates a fleet of seven aircraft, consisting of two Airbuses and five Bombardier 900 series aircraft.

To fulfil Emmanuel’s vision of transforming the state into the aviation hub of the Gulf of Guinea, construction on the “Smartest Airport Terminal” and the “Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, MRO” facilities has begun.

In an effort to industrialise Akwa Ibom, Emmanuel was successful in luring a number of businesses, including a syringe factory, an automated Kings Flour Mill, a Metering solutions factory, a Coconut refinery, industrial clusters in Itam that produce bamboo, a Car Assembly Plant, and the Smartest 21-Storey Dakkada Tower at Udo Udoma Avenue.

In addition to this, he made enormous progress in the field of medicine, particularly in the field of secondary health care, by enhancing the general hospitals that are situated in the 10 federal constituencies of the state and establishing new ones.

is going to leave behind a solid road system that has been constructed across all three senatorial districts.

Even though Udom has been consistent and timely in paying salaries and pensions, the most significant complaint levelled against him is that he has not eliminated the backlog of gratuities that was left over from previous administrations nor has he unified the different types of pensions.

Ortom’s legacies, complaints against him

His major contribution to Benue will be the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017, which Governor Samuel Ortom signed into law in 2017.

In spite of pressure from outside sources, the law was passed in order to help put an end to the bloodletting in Benue communities in the wake of unending incursions, attacks, and killings in several communities at the hands of armed herders.

One of the most significant legacies left behind by the Ortom administration is the extensive road network that was built throughout the LGAs.

The health sector of the state also felt the impact of the administration with the rehabilitation of General Hospitals and structures at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi. At this hospital, modern dialysis and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines were provided.

The governor was responsible for the completion of no less than 45 rural electrification projects, as well as the construction and renovation of thousands of primary and secondary classroom blocks along with facilities located in different regions of the state.

In spite of these ambitious projects, Ortom’s most significant obstacle was his inability to clear the backlog of salaries, pensions, and gratuities owed to several categories of workers in the state. This backlog had been accumulated by previous governments, including Ortom’s own, and the state was denied the facility that the federal government had extended to other states for the purpose of clearing the backlog.

Evidence of Ganduje’s presence in Kano

Governor Ganduje was able to finish some of the projects that he inherited from the administrations of Senators Ibrahim Shekarau and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in contrast to other governors who have abandoned projects started by their predecessors due to their political differences. The projects include roads, bridges, and hospitals. For example, Kwankwaso started the Muhammadu Buhari bridge in Sabon Gari market; Shekarau started the Giginyu hospital and Paediatric hospital. Kwankwaso started the Muhammadu Buhari bridge in Sabon Gari market.

The Kano Cancer Treatment Centre will be one of his lasting contributions to the world.

In a similar vein, he is providing financial support for Kwankwaso’s initiative to establish a scholarship for international students.

He was praised and criticised for removing Muhammadu Sanusi II from his position as Emir of Kano and establishing four new additional emirates in the state. He claimed that he did this in order to bring development closer to the people of the state.

Jigawa

In the state of Jigawa, Governor Muhammad Badaru, who was elected on the platform of the APC and is now in power, has finished some of the projects that he inherited from his predecessor, who was elected under the banner of the PDP.

The projects that were inherited were worth more than N90 billion, and they were finished and commissioned before he took office.

In the field of medicine, the media-averse Badaru has funded the education of medical students both in their home country and in other countries.

Niger

It will be difficult to forget Governor Sani Bello’s tenure in Niger because of the promptness with which he paid salaries and other entitlements to civil servants.

However, pensions and gratuities for a number of retired civil servants, particularly those who worked for local governments, have not yet been paid in full.

During his entire term in office, he worked to maintain cordial relations between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government. He also worked to maintain cordial relations between the government and traditional rulers in order to facilitate efficient grassroots administration.

However, the governor was unable to address the issue of insecurity because at least ten of the state’s twenty-five LGAs are still besieged by terrorists who are free to cause destruction throughout the areas.

The majority of the roads are in poor condition, and despite the fact that billions of Naira have been spent on the Ruga project, nothing of note has been accomplished as a result of it.

The erratic supply of electricity has been catastrophic for the state’s economy. Because of the significant amount of money that the government owes to AEDC, the power is frequently cut off at essential government buildings such as Government House, the office of the SSG, the Secretariat, the General Hospital, the IBB Specialist Hospital, and the Water Works, to name a few.

Unpaid contract fees have resulted in an abundance of unfinished projects throughout the state.

The majority of the governor’s time was spent outside of the state; the state’s economy is stagnant; and hoodlums have taken control of Minna, the capital of the state, causing residents to have restless nights.

The eventful and fruitless years that Bagudu spent in Kebbi

The eight years that Governor Bagudu served in Kebbi were filled with both exciting and pointless events. Due to the fact that he was born and raised in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, his first term was met with a great deal of anticipation. Due to the fact that it had been neglected by successive governments, Birnin Kebbi was in desperate need of an infrastructure that was appropriate for a state capital.

Unfortunately, Bagudu was not able to give the capital the desired attention, and Birnin Kebbi still does not have the infrastructure that will make it appear as though it is the capital of a state.

As he prepares to leave office, Governor Bagudu has finished eighty-five of the ninety-five road construction projects he began and has connected at least two hundred villages with road networks.

In the realm of civil service, Bagudu is prompt in making payments of salaries and pensions, including full payments of gratuities. This is the case despite the fact that there was neither promotion nor an increase in salary over the course of the eight years.

After being appointed Chairman of the APC Governors Forum during his second term, he gained the reputation of being a “absentee governor.” Since that time, Bagudu’s presence in Kebbi has been intermittent, and he hasn’t been there for more than a week at most.