Tambuwal’s 100 days of pronouncements

The first 100 days in office of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State were characterised by pronouncements of policy direction, frequent trips outside the state, speaking on environmental issues and the need to attract investors to the state.
However, though not restricted to Sokoto State alone, one thing that remains contentious is the non-composition of the state’s executive council, the highest decision making body in the state.
Political pundits believe that Tambuwal’s resolve to run the state for this long without commissioners to oversee ministries and the parastatals is hampering governance.
They argue that even though the governor has made several policy statements which ought to have been implemented by now, the fact that most of them require approval of the state executive council made their implementation untenable.
Many boards and committees have been dissolved and the governor has yet to constitute new ones, a development which further affects implementation of pronouncements.
However, two committees, Zakkat and Endowment and Free Ramadan Feeding, have continued with their operations.
Government sources said the operations of the two committees have impact on social life of the society because they assist the underprivileged.
Findings by our correspondent reveal that the operations of the two committees did not suffer any setback within the last 100 days.
However, the recent appointment of Secretary to the State Government (SSG) has ignited a glimmer of hope that the state executive council will soon come on board to get the state moving.
On the governor’s frequent trips outside the state, some residents who spoke to Daily Trust say such “adventures” do not allow Tambuwal time to appreciate happenings in the state.
In a recent interview, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chided the governor over his frequent trips outside the state, saying that was distancing him from the needs of his people.
Alhaji Kabiru Aliyu, the state secretary of the party,   said: “People are suffering, poverty is everywhere and some areas like Unguwan Rogo, Gagi and Mabera have no portable water for three months now.
“He needs to settle down to understand all these problems and their impact and come up with concrete solutions.”
However, there are insinuations that Tambuwal’s frequent trips were not unconnected with lack of resources in the state.
According to some observers, the governor stays away, more often than not, in order to avoid the wrath of his people in the midst of empty treasury.
It was speculated that he inherited an empty treasury from his predecessor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, and he has to devise ways of meeting the expectations of his people.
It would be recalled that during the handover ceremony, Wamakko was silent on the issue of finances of the state.
But there is a recent move by the state’s House of Assembly to establish the facts about the last minute spending of the former governor and what he has left in the treasury for the new government.
The Assembly equally said it would look at how much has accrued to the new government.
A close confidant of the governor told Daily Trust that Tambuwal’s frequent trips are meant to bring good things to the state and not for personal interest.
According to him, the governor uses his personal money to cover his trips, assuring that the people of the state would soon start reaping benefits from the trips.
On the delay in constituting the state’s executive council, the source said that Tambuwal is taking his time to select the best hands to add value to his government.
Observers believe that so far Tambuwal has checkmated the activities of hooligans, who were cheaply used by politicians before the last gubernatorial election in the state to cause chaos.
Known as area boys, the hooligans took brigandage as a trade and wreaked havoc on perceived enemies of their masters.
However, with no election in sight, many of these youths are now productively engaged in the clearing of gutters in the state capital.
On the surface, it appears that the relationship between Tambuwal and Wamakko has remained cordial, just the way it was when the governor was the speaker of the House of Representatives.
Yet, pundits adopt the wait-and-see approach to see whether Wamakko would have profound influence on the policies of the Tambuwal-led administration, considering his role in governor’s election victory.