One Day in Zamfara History

POLITICAL NOTES

It is no longer news that the former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahadi Aliyu Gusau, has been removed from office. What is news however, is the speed with which the state government conducted the events that led to his ouster and the installation of a new deputy governor, Senator Hassan Mohammed Nasiha Gusau.

For a state bedeviled by serious security challenges, where many are being killed almost on a daily basis, many feel that if Governor Bello Matawalle had taken the same steps to tackle the security challenges confronting the state, the people would have been better for it.

For instance, on the same day that the state House of Assembly received the report of the panel that investigated the former deputy governor, it redrafted the Order Paper in order to deliberate, consider and adopt the report; voted for his removal; received a letter from the governor nominating a new deputy governor; redrafted the Order Paper to reflect invitation of the deputy governor-nominee for screening; questioned and grilled the deputy governor-nominee; called for the Committee of the Whole and later back to the plenary to screen and confirm his nomination.

Same day too, the Clerk of the assembly wrote the resolution and transmitted to the governor, and upon receipt of the resolution, the governor wrote to the state Chief Judge, Justice Kulu Aliyu, inviting her to swear-in the new deputy governor; the chief judge honoured the invitation and administered the oath of office to the new deputy governor; the new deputy governor resigned as a senator; assumed office as the fifth deputy governor of the state.

But ironically, when it comes to security issues where lives and property would be protected, the same officials will either be foot-dragging or say that they do not have the constitutional powers to act.

This is one of the ironies in the country. When it come to playing politics, there is the will but not so in performance.