WHY NGGILARI CONCENTRATED POWERS IN THE HANDS OF HIS CHIEF OF STAFF

Nyako’s government which was a complete deviation from the acceptable practice of the act of governance has come and gone. It is now a forgotten antique but the reality of Nggilari’s government is a reminder of the excesses of Nyako’s government which almost crippled the future of the state and its citizens. Nggilari who is a judicially manufactured governor took over the mantle of leadership from his predecessor Hon, Fintiri who was almost putting smiles on the faces of the citizens through popular policies.
The people of the state are worried that some of the acts of governance in the present administration are almost a complete reflection of Nyako’s government where rules and procedures are violated with great impunity. One of such areas is the concentration of power into the hands of a favoured individual and hijacking of responsibilities from individual officers.
Only recently the governor of the state was reported to have either subzone or concentrated power and the entire machinery of government of the state into the hands of his chief of staff. It is a situation where virtually all the official function of the top government functionaries are subtly denied the privilege of exercising their duties to allow the chief of staff handle such official responsibilities.
The same office of the chief of staff which was earlier scrapped at federal government level due to lack of constitutional backing is surprisingly given undue recognition by this administration just like its predecessor did, despite the fact the office is not recognize by the scheme of service.
There is no doubt that the office of the chief of staff is a brainchild or creation of the impeached governor, Murtala Nyako to deliberately cave a vacancy for his lackeys to participate in his government. In the case of administration of Nggilari, the unconstitutional office in question was over glorified and magnified above the constitutionally recognized office of the secretary to the state government among others.
Many have argued that ideally, the office of the chief of staff of the state is not superior to the office of the Deputy permanent secretary which does not go beyond the management of the affairs of the staff working in government house.
Sources close to the government house have alleged that since the inception of the tenure of the incumbent governor of the state he has dignified the office of the chief of staff to the level that all the powers of constitutional offices with clear terms of office like secretary to the state government and deputy governor were taken away from them and concentrated into the hands of the chief of staff leaving them with virtually no glory or glamour.
The sources maintained that there was an instance when the deputy governor of the state who brought a memo to the governor for attention was reported to have been referred to the chief of staff by the governor, a development said to have infuriated the deputy governor who questioned the justification and opted to take back home his memo.
In the same vein, the secretary to the state government Mr. Ibrahim Welye was alleged to have not only threatened to resign but also wrote his resignation letter in protest against the hijacking of his constitutional responsibility by the office of the chief of staff. Sources close to government House indicated that the number one citizen of the state had delegated some loyalists to plead with the SSG on his behalf to shelve the idea of resignation because of its adverse implication on his government.
Sources close to the Dougirei government house revealed that the chief of staff has not only received an overdose of power to place him far above the SSG and the deputy governor but now plays the role of a supervising commissioner of the ministry of local government and chief executive of the state. The chief of staff is now seen as the “defacto” governor because of the great influence he wields. Pioneer in search of answers to this amazing reality discovered that the chief of staff had found favour in the eyes of the governor because of some recorded cases of loyalty and trust. The Governor was said to have entrusted the sum of N500, 000 into the hands of the chief of staff during the 2011 elections which he judicially utilized and returned part of the money to his principal which he claimed was a left over.
Such act of loyalty and honesty was said to have created an atmosphere of trust and respect among the duo. The chief of staff in another show of loyalty had openly declared his support and loyalty to Nggilari before Bello Tukur who wanted him on their side during emerging conflict s between his principal and their opponents, the chief of staff had reminded the opponents of his principal of their choice of Micheal Ularamu above him when he was contesting the seat of Madagali as chief Executive of the local government. According to the sources, Nggilari had stood behind the chief of staff to win the chairmanship seat of the local government, a development said to have compelled the chief of staff to declare his willingness to sacrifice his life for Nggilari. The chief of staff was said to have also stood behind his principal during his trying moments and funded the judicial process that returned Nggilari as the governor of the state.
Many have suggested that Nggilari’s favourable disposition to the chief of staff may be a reciprocal gesture. It is however disturbing that the chief Executive of the state whom the lives and future of the people of the state largely depends on had to sacrifice justice, rules and procedure on the altar of friendship and loyalty.
Where there is need to reward loyalty, the interest of the majority and the demands of social justice must not be jeopardized.