Governor Bago Opens A Window To Reset Democracy In Nigeria

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has opened the window to reset democratic practice in Nigeria.

Bago who was speaking at the swearing-in of newly appointed commissioners and local government council chairmen, as well as some permanent secretaries and members of some Boards and Agencies observed that the fear of losing an election for a second term in office discourages an incumbent governor in his first term from taking some decisive steps that could have promoted development in the state.

His words: “There are some steps I ought to have taken to move the state forward but I dare not because of fear that taking such decisions would affect my victory in 2027. For example, some people who failed examinations and should have been sanctioned one way or the other could not be punished because of second term ambition.

I am an advocate of a single term for governors. Everything in Niger state is being politicised and because of this, more decisive actions cannot be taken. There are some people I want to sack but I cannot. As the Governor, I am preoccupied with the search for a second term in office and as a result, governance is suffering and this is why one term is better to serve because you will be more focused from the beginning to the end of your one term tenure”.