Mbaka Goofed on Dankwambo - Muhammad Jibrin
Harvard-trained management guru, top-notch banker and advocate of a transformed Gombe State, Muhammad Jibrin, tells Louis Achi that one of the 2018 prophesies of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka which ‘positioned’ Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo as a worthy successor to P
You are one of Gombe State’s key leading intellectuals. What’s really your conception of good governance as a tool for changing the human development story? Good governance is central to human development and social progression. The converse leads to retrogression and socio-political and economic stagnation. Good governance has eight major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society. Deficits in these areas give rise to conflict and set back human development. Deficits in these areas are the reasons for our developmental woes.
You are a senior journalist. Go and research this submission. Good governance is not an esoteric project or process. It is epitomized by predictable, open and enlightened policy-making, a bureaucracy imbued with professional ethos acting in furtherance of the public good, the rule of law, transparent processes, and a strong civil society participating in public affairs. Poor governance (on the other hand) is characterized by arbitrary policy making, unaccountable bureaucracies, the abuse of executive power and widespread corruption.
Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka of the Catholic Adoration Church in Enugu is a fearless, outspoken cleric who speaks out often on political matters. You appear to disagree with a dimension of his 2018 prophesies which sees Governor Dankwambo of Gombe State succeeding President Buhari?
This is pure fantasy. If the Catholic Rev Father is well apprised of the state of affairs of Gombe State, he will certainly not recommend Governor Dankwambo as a worthy replacement for the great President Buhari. Perhaps, some examples will show Rev. Fr. Mbaka the extent of the damage Governor Dankwambo has done to our state.
It is a well-known fact that Gombe town had battled with lack of potable drinking water since independence. The previous administration of Senator Danjuma Goje took this as a priority and spent over N8billion to ensure the provision of water across the State and specifically within the metropolis of Gombe. Governor Dankwambo refused to make an annual budgetary spending of only N200m required to maintain the supply of water. Today, you will easily find water in the desert before Gombe State.
Gombe State education system was adjudged one of the best in the country, with a state university founded by the previous administration being rated as one of the top 10 state-owned universities in Nigeria as at 2011. As with the water project, he has neglected to continue with the required funding of the university. Today, the university and the entire education system is now in shambles and our class rooms are playground for idle students without teachers who have left en mass due to unpaid salaries.
On the health sector, our hospitals, which were modernised and fully equipped are now mortuaries and consulting clinics. The international airport in Gombe that opened the entire North Eastern region to air travel - both passenger and cargo - has been totally neglected.
Just a minute, Father Mbaka has made several prophecies that came true. Many see his support for Buhari as one the game-changing dimensions that gave the throne to the current president. Are you saying he essentially goofed in backing Dankwambo for presidency?
While Rev. Fr. Mbaka is well known for making ‘predictions’ some of which fall off the mark, we disagree with his particular fantasy about Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, the executive governor of Gombe State. I am itemizing the governance deficits that make this prediction debatable. The international hotel that was built to cater for those travelling to and by Gombe has been neglected and taken over by animals.
As I speak, Gombe State is struggling under a heavy burden of debt in excess of N100billion in local currency and another $100million in foreign currency. The debt service will remain a challenge for future administration. Despite the Paris Club refunds and bailouts engineered by the federal government and the Committee of Governors to assist state governments clear arrears of workers emoluments, pensioners from the state are dying, waiting to be paid.
These are just a few examples to show to the extent Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, with all his accounting credentials, has wreaked havoc in our state in just six years of his maladministration. He has reversed the glorious achievements of the previous administration and destroyed all the good works of the Distinguished Senator Danjuma Goje. Finally, everyone knows Ibrahim Dankwambo’s moral deficit will not qualify him for a position of an officer in the Church of Rev. Fr. Mbaka and therefore one wonders what Rev. Fr. Mbaka saw in such a man to recommend him as to lead our great country. There is more than meets the eyes.
Perhaps, Rev Father Mbaka should come clean and tell Nigerians what his major motivation in making this recommendation. We are aware he only received a handshake from the frugal President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) when he last visited Aso Villa, and maybe more than a handshake from his darling Governor Dankwambo.
I advise father Mbaka to travel to Gombe State and visit the state university, hospitals and water projects in Gombe town and all the other ten Local Government Areas of Gombe State and tell Nigerians his findings.
The ruling APC within the week came out to disown Father Mbaka’s recent position on Buhari. Do you see this as a significant development, given his massive support for the president previously?
I chose to restrict myself to Gombe State and Governor Dankwambo for now.