FORUM FOR FORMER DEPUTY GOVERNORS AND THE NEW HOPE AGENDA

The Forum is powered by a new idealism to help in rebuilding the nation, writes Dele Olowu

Rightly or wrongly , Deputy Governors have been memorialized in Nigeria as spare tyres. This caricature seems to have endured. The office thus produces mixed reactions from those who are asked to serve in that capacity. It is a matter of public record that beneficiaries in this space often get ill-used and are sometimes thrown into enough political grief to disable them for a lifetime. In spite of the fact that some are able to reincarnate and inaugurate new public and private careers for themselves. , and never mind the fact that in one spectacular example, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan rose from being deputy governor to become President, many of them are so badly scarred, that the public itself treats them with mild disregard. Perhaps some day, in order to guarantee more protection, a deputy governor could in time become Senate President. According to current in-house ranking, if a matter was passed to the office of the deputy governor, it meant the administration thought poorly of it and may in fact consider it dead. Deputy governors are thus amongst the most well known martyrs of the Nigerian public service .

Served martyrdom in office and frequently unable to help itself, it must therefore be a source of great elevation that this benighted but potentially powerful group has been able to come together under one banner to seek ways of promoting good governance in Nigeria. What really is the secret of the Lazarus experience for deputy governors and what does this portend for the Nigerian nation? The Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria in partnership with the Polish Nigerian Business Council (PNBC) and the Chambers of Commerce of Exporters and Importers of Poland (IGEI) , convened for its 2024 conference on October 22 and 23, bringing together an outstanding range of political leaders, leaders of thought, front ranking academics and captains of industry from within and outside the country to deliberate on important national concerns. The platform is unique as it enjoys the curious appreciation of an audience which has seen it migrate from relative somnolence to a position in which it now takes a vigorous and passionate interest in transforming the nation’s fortunes. In seeking to change the nation, the deputy governors it seems, have also substantially transformed themselves.

The Forum Of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria (FFDGN) came into existence substantially through the assistance of President Jonathan several years ago. It has however only begun to enjoy the limelight, propped up by Alhaji Abdulmalik who has now handed over to Dr. Alozie Akomas, the current Chief executive. The platform is robust and enjoys a subscription across party lines. Much of the national prominence which the FFDGN currently enjoys, is traceable to the labour of many patriots, but to none more than the current Chairman of the FFDGN, Dr. Chris Alozie Akomas, himself, one time Deputy Governor of Abia State. An orderly and cerebral mind, Dr.Akomas in his customary all-white-all -season dress code, always seems to hint at the near blemish-less model which drives his private and public life. He has brought this correctness of spirit to bear on the forum, and consequently enlarged its possibilities in the process.

The theme of the conference was ‘Strategic Solutions for Good Governance: Food security, and Sustainable Growth in Nigeria.’  The conference dwelt on effective governance and leadership practices, innovative solutions to food security, the development of policies and strategies for economic growth, the encouragement of synergy between current leaders and predecessors as well as promoting the President’s vision of renewed hope. The attendance was massive, and was an extremely pleasant surprise, given the status of former deputy governors as yesterday’s men and women. They included His .

Excellency, Dr Umar Ganduje; His Excellency, Obong Victor B. Attah; His Excelency, Segun Osoba, and His Excellency, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari. All of them spoke with great sensitivity for the Nigerian project and lent their support to President Tinubu’s response to current challenges. Dr. Ganduje, National Chairman of the APC weighed in with a fascinating analysis of the whole concept of ‘deputizing’ or ‘deputy governorship’ . He acknowledged that it had become a Nigerian conundrum , stating that the travails experienced by deputy governors could not be defended on rational grounds. The boss, he said enjoyed no moral or physical superiority. He emphasized that both Governor and his deputy had the same physical attributes and that the boss did not necessarily have superior intellect or acumen in any field. Sometimes, the Deputy had the ace. The difference which made one person boss he said , was simply situational or a matter of constitutional prescription. His conclusion was that the unease in the relationship between boss and subordinate was without warrant. He then said it perhaps would help matters if there is a more definite description of

function in the governance structure. The conference provided a great public opportunity for discussions on governance, policy innovations, insecurity in our nation, food security, socio-economic growth, as well as the role of former leaders in promoting national unity and progress. As security continues to concentrate minds, it was perhaps in order that the keynote address was given by Major General I.B. Abdulsalami representing the Chief of Defense Staff. He offered assurances that the security agencies are committed to creating a peaceful environment in which development can take place. The event entertained a rash of profound papers, among them were. ‘Stabilising The Economy: Policies for Sustainable Growth and Development by Uche Uwaleke, a professor of capital market , at the Nasarawa State University; Incumbents and Predecessors: Completing Projects and Sharing Ideas by Afolabi E. Olowokere; and Ensuring Food Security: Taming the Challenges and Exploring Innovative Approaches in Agriculture, by Professor Nuhu Gworgwor, Dean of the faculty of Agriculture, University of Jos. Together they produced a body of useful ideas and sparked off a stretch of excited discussions and produced important decisions about governance in Nigeria. The conference also had an international context as it was convened in partnership with the Polish Nigeria Business Council and the Chambers of Commerce of Exporters and Importers of Poland (iGEI) with which it signed an agreement.

These are eminently interesting initiatives and will provoke both commentary and applause going forward. The level of group solidarity of former deputy governors in and out of office is simply amazing. Their unity some might say, has been forged in the furnace of pain, a common experience for many of them. But the Former Deputy Governor’s Forum, has not been about self help or self promotion . Dr. Alozie Akomas Chairman of the FFDGN emphasized in his welcome address that the Forum for Federal Deputy Governors FFDGN is an active forefront participant in nation-building. As became evident during the course of the conference, the organization is concerned wholly with the matter of good governance in Nigeria. The work of the FFDGN is a limelight engagement and the more it receives ventilation, the better its chances are, of realizing its purpose. It is something of a surprise that even though the FFDGN has been in existence for years, it has not received the kind of exposure it requires or deserves.

The conference produced revelations, some of them quite startling. In 1999 Nigeria had 3000 abandoned projects requiring 300 million to complete. Between 2019 and 2022, 40 abandoned projects alone required 20 billion dollars to be completed. Furthermore 30% of Nigeria’s debts are currently accounted for by three abandoned projects. Ajaokuta has been abandoned for 45years; Mambilla for 42 years and Ikoyi Federal Secretariat for 41years.

This bazaar of abandoned projects constitutes a huge drain on our common wealth and this has been part of the impetus that continues to drive the FFDGN into public action. It is important that the Forum is concerned about the disabilities which continue to bedevil the Nigerian project. The communique issued at the end called attention to several of them. It called for unity, for harmony amongst the tiers of governance, for greater security, for honesty, for more civic peace, for equity and for the development of institutional memory in our country. The FFDGN is a daring organization, because even though it may have or have had its own private disgruntlement, what it seeks is nation- building not self help; what it seeks is the good of all and not the private enhancement of former deputy governors.

As people who have themselves come out of an experience in governance, will those in power listen to them? Some will respond with cynicism and say if you are so well intentioned, what did you do during your term? This is entirely possible, but it is not likely if you have a band of men, in an organization yearning articulately for change and progress using a formal vehicle. Some will falter but many will listen and support the new vision. The Forum For Former Deputy Governors is powered by a new idealism to help in rebuilding the Nigerian nation. There is a growing supportive emotion around rebuilding and the consensus which the Forum for Former Governors enjoys on the matter means that it can be a useful and worthy labourer in this national task.

 Olowu is a Veteran Journalist