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In the last few days, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi was in the news, NOT as the spokesman of the Northern Senators Forum by his admission, but as a citizen who is privileged of the oversight of the 2024 National Budget. The media was a washed with charges and counter charges of Senator Ningi’s honesty for being the only person to discover padding of the 2024 Budget to the tune of about 3trillion Naira.
Another allegation against the PDP Senator Ningi was the charge that the Executive was running double budget 2024 for the country. Was he called to explain? Why must Northern Senators be disowning Senator Ningi? Was he speaking on their behalf? If so, why wouldn’t they provide evidence against his claims? National budget is a national instrument, so what stops other Senators from making comments?
This matter is of great interest to me, our tabloids and the general public for its socio-political implications. But why must the matter not be considered on its merits? Considering the amount of money allocated to States, shouldn’t the people engage the authorities to ensure that these monies are spent on social services instead of going into the pockets of few individuals?
If the States receive more money from the Federal Government, what then would prevent the National Assembly from capitalising on the ongoing legacy? They too believed they are better entitled because of their constitutional mandate. After all it is the NASS that approves the National budget.
This is not the first time that charges of Budget padding was ever brought open. Senator Ali Ndume accused the 8th Senate leadership of extra budgetary expenditure to the tune of Naira 370 million through the importation of bulletproof vehicles whilst Representative Abdulmumini Jibril made an outright allegation of 2016 budget padding.
To me, the most important missing point in the discourse is the total and unfortunate NEGLECT to see the kind of conspiracy between the northern political class to hoodwink the public by refusing to join the debate. This is a deliberate excuse for their nonperformance and betrayal of the people who voted for them.
It is beyond reasonable doubt to see how the Northern leadership failed to harness the human and natural resources of the region to improve the quality of life of the people and make the region less dependent on Federal charity that has become a reason for its ridicule.
Today in the northern part of Nigeria, most resources allocated to the states and the local governments, which ideally should be used to build schools, hospitals, support commerce and industry and revamp infrastructure, agriculture and solid minerals are shared to pro-government traditional rulers, religious clerics and political cronies for narrow and immediate political gains. For some of us living in the Northern parts nothing speaks further the truth. Poverty, hunger, diseases, banditry, theft, unemployment abound.
It is time for the Northern elite to apologise to the people for their perfidious and gangster politics and decades of consistent neglect that has today sunk the region into depths of division, want and menacing insurgency, to quote Senator Shehu Sani.
It here in the Northern part of the country where you come across people, young and old lazily dawdling in the streets or endlessly sitting around businesses waiting for handouts and not knowing what to do next. If they feel hungry they move to where they can fill their stomach but still unaware of any aim for their life and unable to tell you why? You may unfortunately categorise them as the people of a dead nation unworthy of life and achievement in a world that is full of energetic and hardworking men seriously contributing to human development.
If I may postulate on Dr Mustafa Tahan’s food for thought it would be apt to say that Northern policies that governed people for many decades implanted indifference and disinterest in their spirits, and transferred them into moving ghosts. The only evidence to their living humanity is that they can eat and procreate. Even when they were charged with some work by the inequitable and inefficient administration, it was in a mean or supporting routine job that could be done automatically without any reflection or aim.
In this subversive way, the ruling elite hypnotised the peoples, fortified its position, exploited the resources, looted the wealth, blocked their thinking and conditioned their lifestyle.
This is why they were thanking Allah for inspiring the ruling elite to control their fates and make their life easier.
This is the summary of the challenges faced by the people living in the Northern part of this country.
Mohammed Kabir Ilyasu is a retired foreign affairs officer, a public affairs analyst writes from Kaduna. 12th March 2024
