Their Excellencies’ first 100 hours in office

IT is no longer new that new sets of hands have taken over the reins of government in their respective states. What is now trending is the penchant of most (if not all) of the elected first term governors to take a recourse to upturning most of the policies and activities of their immediate predecessors. From Lagos, to Oyo, to Ogun, to Imo, Delta, Adamawa and Bauchi states, the new governors started their administration, taking headlong the former holders of the office, all within the first 100 hours of their inauguration.

The governors, on assumption of office, made some critical appointments that are very key to their administration. These included Chief of Staff, Secretary to the State Government, political advisers, media aides (including Chief Press Secretaries and their deputies, in some instance).

Governor Seyi Makinde, Oyo State

In Oyo State, the new helmsman, Seyi Makinde, left no one in doubt about his desire to thrash most of the decisions taken by former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, especially those taken in the twilight of the former’s two-term tenure of office.

Immediately after his swearing in and administration of oath of office, (last Wednesday), Makinde, in his inauguration speech, said the task before him was not to “dwell on the past but look to the future because of the urgency and the magnitude of the task ahead of us…We may make decisions that are sometimes uncomfortable but we will try our best to always be just, fair and act with the fear of God.”

Stating that he was ready to take responsibility for all actions of his administration, he said: “We will be a progressive administration; building on the programmes of past administrations that were structured properly and have been beneficial to the masses,”.

The new Oyo helmsman however drew the first blood as put into action his often-restated displeasure for the N3,000 per child school fee introduced by the immediate past administration for public primary and secondary schools in the state.

“Effective immediately, the school fees of N3,000 in state-owned secondary schools is hereby abolished. We want enrollments to go up; we want our children off the streets and in the classrooms. We are throwing the school doors wide open. Whoever opens a school door opens an opportunity. We are opening opportunities for a brighter future.”

He went further to announce that his government would provide the needed infrastructure and manpower in the education sector by increasing the state’s education budget to 10 per cent out of its total annual budget. This, he said, would be increased yearly “until we match UNESCO’s recommendation of 15-20 per cent. We will be a pacesetter state in education.”

He stated his desire to have a functional state civil service in which the public servants would, in the course of time, be earning more for their sweat, even far above the new national minimum wage of N30, 000. The governor however put a caveat as declared that he may not be able to implement the new salary as he noted that “with the way the Oyo State account currently stands, I will be deceiving you if I said we are capable of taking on this burden.”

In line with his resolution to review all new contracts and appointments made by former Governor Ajimobi, especially between March 11 and May 28, 2019, Makinde, on Thursday, reversed the appointment of 15 new permanent secretaries. The beneficiaries, including 11 top civil servenats, were appointed and sworn in by Ajimobi about three weeks ago. Announcing the reversal at a meeting he held with the affected permanent secretaries, the new Oyo governor told them to revert to their former status in the state public service.

Confirming the development, the spokesman of the Seyi Makinde Campaign Organisation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said: “Governor Makinde will be very consistent and finicky with all his campaign promises and this is not an exception. The governor said all transactions, either contractually or in terms of appointments and promotions, that were done especially between March 11 and May 28 would be given closer scrutiny particularly because of the obvious mischief that has been introduced into the whole governance within this period…

“So, just like he made good the promise to cancel the N3, 000 paid by parents on their public secondary school children and open the Governor’s Office flyover for every citizen of Oyo State, in the same manner he is dealing with the issue of the appointment of the permanent secretaries and civil servants.”

That same day, Governor Makinde announced the dissolution of the 33 local governments and 20 Local Council Development Authority (LCDAs) created by Ajimobi. The former governor had, in 2018 created the LCDAs and, in spite of a pending suit, went ahead to conduct election into the third tier of government. He also, last May, gave an official recognition to the state chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).

While the state leadership of ALGON, under the chairmanship of Prince Abass Alesinloye, kicked against the decision and threatened court action, the new administration in the state, last Friday, said its decision to dissolve local government administration/LCDAs administration was due to what it said was the fact that the local government election that was conducted by the last dispensation was against a subsisting court order.

Chief of Staff to the Oyo State Governor, Chief Oyebisi Ilaka, claimed that the dissolved local government administration in the state was put together in an election that was against a subsisting court order

“I know people go about saying these local government executives had gone to court to get an order, but we all know that it was an ‘arrangee’ judgment that was filed by the same people against the same side that did not oppose the application. They sourced for an order that was not opposed by the state or appealed by the state,” he said.

Following reports of clashes between factions of the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Governor Makinde, on Friday held an emergency meeting with security chiefs in the state. He subsequently proscribed the union in the state, even as he directed the security agencies in the state to take charge of the various motor parks in the state.

In line with the government directive, the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed not fewer than 2, 000 of its men and officers to take over motor parks and garages across the state. The state commandant of NSCDC, Dr John Adewoye, made the disclosure in a statement, adding that the deployment was in collaboration with other security agencies after the proscription of the union, to ensure compliance with the government’s order.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State

Speaking at his inauguration, the new governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, declared that he was not making an empty speech when he spoke of a greater Lagos, adding: “It is a deep and profound assertion we mean. We intend to make history by making for ourselves and our children a better future.”

Acting out his words, Sanwo-Olu, some 24 hours after his inauguration, signed his first executive order in which declared a state of emergency on traffic management in the state. He directed the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to run, at least, two shifts and work till 11pm. This was as he also asked the Lagos State Public Works Corporation to commence patching and rehabilitation of bad roads to address the perennial problem of traffic in the state.

He said the order would also ensure the attainment of zero tolerance for environmental abuse, including illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse and construction of structures on drainage points and setbacks, even as he asked for the support and cooperation of military personnel operating in the state.

“I think we have to make some points about issues that happen around transportation, potholes on our roads, blockages and the rest of it. I think it’s something we need to tackle immediately.

“Lagosians are not going to wait for us any longer to maintain orderliness on our roads, hence, I have invited all the security chiefs to witness the signing of the executive order so that they can hear us and support us in this regard. We want to ensure that we control traffic until everybody gets home safely.  LASTMA should, therefore, extend its working hours and ensure traffic control till 11pm,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also charged LASTMA to effectively carry out their functions by ensuring strict compliance with all extant traffic rules and regulations as prescribed in the enabling law, adding that another pronouncement would soon be made to address the issue of one-way driving on Lagos roads.

He directed the Office of Drainage Services in the Ministry of the Environment to commence aggressive cleaning of all secondary and tertiary drainage systems across the state to ensure the free flow of rainwater during the rainy season.

According to the governor, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps has been directed to address environmental issues in the executive order by not necessarily arresting the people but engaging them in effective communication on the need to ensure compliance with environmental laws.

Sanwo-Olu said during the tour, it was realised that NPA and Dangote had worked on Wharf Road, up to the Apapa Port, adding however that it was sad that the trucks were still parking on the road.

Less than 72 hours into the life of the new administration in the state, there are strong indications that the immediate past Governor Akinwumi Ambode administration may be subjected to a probe over alleged financial sleazes.

While the former governor is yet to come out to defend himself against some allegations raised by Tunji Bello who served as his Secretary to the State Government (SSG) for a period of four years, the new administration in the state may subject him to the probe, using the state legislature as a decoy.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State

The new governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, is not left out in the race to overturn some of the policies of his predecessor as he has declared that he would revoke all new contracts awarded by the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun between March and May 28 this year.

The governor, in a statement by the publicity secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tunde Oladunjoye, also vowed to reverse all appointments and installation of traditional rulers as well as review of employments of new entrants into the state’s workforce done by Amosun’s administration after the March 9 governorship election.

• We’ll complete road from Maza-Maza to Okokomaiko before year-end ― Sanwo-Olu

In consonance with the new governor’s position, the state House of Assembly, last Friday, reversed all appointments, employments and financial commitments carried out by the Amosun administration from February 1 till May 28, 20129.

Among others, the state legislature asked the state government to dissolve all statutory boards and parastatals, their members having been paid their severance allowances by the immediate past administration.

In a bill titled H. B 047/OG/2019 “Nullification of Irregularities (Amendment) Law, 2019”, the state lawmakers suspended administrative functions in all the local government areas and LCDAs in the state and also unanimously called for the reversal and review of the upgrading of all traditional rulers, including obas and bales, done within the same period.

Governor Emeka Ihedioha, Imo State

All is not well in Imo State as the new governor in the state, Honourable Emeka Iheodioha, appears set for a collision with his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha, over some projects initiated and completed by the previous administration in the state. These projects included monuments and statutes, one of which, the Akachi Statue near Aba Road, Owerri, was said to have been pulled down by the Ihedioha administration, a day after his inauguration as the governor of the state.

However, Governor Ihedioha, in a release by his special adviser (Media), Steve Osuji, denied any involvement in the act as it claimed: “Imo State government, under Governor ihedioha, has no hand in the demolition of Akachi Statue. Contrary to reports emanating from Owerri, the government of Imo State has no hand in the pulling down of the gargantuan Akachi Statue near Aba Road, Owerri.

“Does it stand to reason that a government that is barely 24 hours old, with no handover notes whatsoever and without an office to work from yet would concern itself with an ordinary statue? Let it be known that the new government in Imo State has its eyes set on nobler goals which includes fast-tracking the rebuilding of Imo State.”

It therefore warned Imo people to desist from unruly behaviour and remain law-abiding “as anyone caught breaking the law would be prosecuted. The security agencies have been put on alert to maintain law and order across the state.”

Governor Bello Matawalle, Zamfara State

In Zamfara State, the new governor, Bello Matawallen, has embarked upon the construction of an airport terminal in Gusau, the state capital. Talking about the project, the governor said the approval of the construction of the new terminal is an achievement to the people and that it would take the state to greater heights.

“Do you know that the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) had to use Katsina Airport to carry out operations in Zamfara State? Zamfara needs that airport, at least, for security personnel to have it easy in logistics (security),” the governor said in his Twitter handle.

Governor Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State

Last Saturday, the new governor in Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed approved the immediate disengagement of all political office holders and also dissolved all local government councils’ management committees in the state.

The order for the disengagement was contained in a statement signed by the SSG, Mohammed Sabiu Baba: “Governor Bala Mohammed has approved the disengagement of all political office holders with effect from 31 May, 2019.”

The statement added that members of boards of parastatals, agencies, extra-ministerial departments, directors-general as well as local government council caretaker committee chairmen were all affected by the directive.