The Burdens of a Powerful Governor Badaru Abubakar and His 66 Aides

The Burdens of a Powerful Governor Badaru Abubakar and His 66 Aides

Eyes popped in utter disbelief when the Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar appointed 66 aides, including three special assistants to his three wives. Even as his foot soldiers grasped for straws of explanation to tender to an outraged public, it wasn’t a move that was totally unexpected in Nigeria’s politics of the absurd.

Similar shots had been fired by other leaders. Other past governors have created redundant cabinets as a token to their allies. Some have gone as far as creating commissioners for stomach infrastructure, and special advisers on fruits and food provision.

The quarters of leadership is reserved only for the competent in some parts of the world but in Nigeria, incompetence coupled with financial backing might be an important feature that will earn one a place in the halls of government. It has been proved in the past that Nigerian political structure is rooted in the culture of negligence and overspending. It is also generally believed that the problem of Nigeria is lack of proper leadership, political officers unconcerned about the plight of the masses misuse taxpayers’ hard- earned money frivolously.
With 66 aides in total, the Jigawa State first man appointed a special adviser on street lights!

These appointments will consume millions for maintenance and the salary structure will grow like yeast to accommodate the unnecessary bloating. Not that the governor seems to give a hoot. He is seemingly more interested in satisfying his harem than preserving the financial integrity of the state.

The reactions all over social media have been largely one-sided, a mass chorus of disapproval against the most powerful man in Jigawa. This time it wasn’t just the youth who are usually alone in their outrage against such actions. Past and even present governors chimed in, lambasting the Jigawa governor for further rubbishing an office that most people now see more as a cash cow than position for service.

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