Media over glorify Faleke - Dr. Adaba

Reposted from TotalPolitics.com

Former Director General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Dr. Tom Adaba is one man who thinks the media hyped the refusal of James Faleke to be a deputy to Yahaya Bello. In an interview withGENA LUBEM in Lokoja, the media guru believes there will be a way out of the situation. He also accused immediate past governor, Capt. Idris Wada of marginalizing some parts of the state in a blatant manner. Excerpts:

A new government has been inaugurated in Kogi state. As an elder How do you feel about this development?

It is something to thank and praise God about. It is the beginning of a new dawn. It is our very firm belief that what we have crave for right from the beginning; that we should peacefully transit from one zone to another which never materialized has come to pass by the act of God. It is something that is new. Not only that, we have a digitally savvy person come in as governor of the state. He has ideas. I have had series of conversations with him and I know of his passion and what he intends to do for this state, which is to uplift this state unto the highest height that it can ever be. In absolute fairness, justice and equity which I believe can help us a great deal. If there is equity in what is being done, everybody will be happy.

 

Some persons have expressed concern that the new governor might exclude other sections of the state as a kind of vengeance for ruling for a long time. What do you make of this?

The greatest fear of people who have been ruling is that there will be a sense of vengeance. But I tell you, there won’t be such a thing. There is no room for that. There are too many things to cater for than going on a vengeance spree. As far as I am concerned, we have great hopes in Kogi. And we know that with the potentials that are there, Kogi will go places.

 

Hon. James Faleke who was to be the deputy governor was conspicuously absent during the inauguration. In addition to that, he has made it clear that he is not interested in been the deputy and has since gone to the Tribunal. What did you make of this situation?

Definitely, if he said he is not interested, there will be somebody who is interested; somebody who is passionate enough about this state could be interested and take over. It is not a big deal. It is the news media that has made a big deal out of it because of some politicization of the issue by the western press over a minority person.  But I don’t think that is what it should be. If the deputy governor says he is not interested, we know very well that within the next one or two weeks, a name or two will go to the state assembly for ratification as deputy governor. So what is the big deal? He does not necessarily have to be sworn in at the same time with the governor. How long did it take President Jonathan to get a vice when Yar’ Adua died? I don’t think this should be an issue. We are unnecessarily pushing it and making it to look so grand. I think it is the governor who should have complained that he has no deputy to help but he has not done that. The man says he cannot do it and we have got to respect his views. If his views are that he cannot serve under the present governor; that should be alright.

 

The governor itemized things he will achieve in the first one month, 100 days and one year which cut across several topical issues. Do you think this is possible judging from the fact that revenue which was accruable to states is now fast dwindling?

I believe the governor will constitute a good management team. We got to start off with the state of the state itself that is the civil service. Am I actually to believe that the figures we have are the real numbers or are they ghost workers? Will they be cleared and if they are cleared where will their salaries go? These are areas that leakages will be sealed and money conserved to take care of the state’s needs. I also know that he is very much in a hurry to create some level of independence for the state in terms of financial resources and he is going to drive that very hard. He cannot do that in the first 100 days. He can do it in the first 3 or 6 months but he should be seen to be doing something in that direction. And hopefully, after a year or two we will begin to get result in the investment in the land here which in itself will create job opportunities for our young ones. This will again continue to yield other dividends. Let’s get to the bridge before we will begin to think of how to cross it.

 

Would you also subscribe to the view that the immediate past Capt. Idris Wada administration did nothing for Kogi state putting it side-by-side with what accrued to the state and the programmes it carried out?

I don’t know.  What we don’t see is what we complain about. Where I was really worried was when we in other parts of the state complained very bitterly about marginalization, the Wada government would tell us there was nothing like that in the state which to me was an insult on all sorts of people. We see it, we breathe it, we walk it and you still tell me there is no marginalization. How can you say that? It is untenable and that was what prompted my writings in the papers to spell out what actually marginalization is in the state. Believe me, if that is even taken care of, everyone will be at peace with themselves.