The decision of Governor Uba Sani to open up on the state of finance of Kaduna state, which indicted his predecessor, Nasiru El-Rufai, of pillaging the state and leaving a debt burden of “$587 million, N85 billion and 115 contractual liabilities” behind, which the governor said had negatively impacted the ability of the state to honour its monthly obligation to workers leading to unpaid wages, has pitched supporters of the former governor against those of the incumbent.
Expectedly, the tirade between both camps has claimed its first casualty in Mrs. Maryam Suleiman, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women leader in the state. It has also brought out the beast in Bello, the former governor’s son, who is a member of the House of Representatives and former Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) to Uba Sani, while he was in the upper legislative chamber. The garrulous young El-Rufai is now caught between paternal loyalty to his father and political loyalty to Uba. How he stirs his way to political relevance going forward, would depend on how he manages the web he is now caught in.
However, what Governor Uba publicly stated, which is making El-Rufai supporters fret and baying for blood, is just a rehash of what El-Rufai publicly disclosed on May 29, 2023 at the handover of the reigns of Kaduna state leadership to Uba Sani. As widely reported in the national dailies, El-Rufai, on date day, hinted that his successor would face terrifying times managing to stir the state through the heavy debt burden that he incurred. Though El-Rufai said he left Kaduna better than he met it, he publicly disclosed that Uba Sani was inheriting a domestic debt profile of N80.60 billion and a foreign debt of $577.32 million.
El-Rufai had said: “I am therefore optimistic that the incoming government will, in due course, be in a position to settle all inherited liabilities, complete ongoing projects and initiate new ones by the grace of God.” (See Punch of May 30, 2023 “My successor inherits N80bn, $577m debts –El-Rufai).
However, it is understandable that Uba Sani, as a senator, was the lone Kaduna senatorial voice that backed El-Rufai’s hunger for loans. But the question which his rehash of El-Rufai’s May 29, 2023 statement elicits ought to be put in proper perspective. As has been stated severally by many, especially those who apply the word ‘economist’ to their names, the basic problem of loans is not borrowing in itself, but the use to which the loan was put. This suggests asking to know if the borrowed amount was honestly applied to projects listed against them. This is one basic reason most Nigerians are suspicious of governments, federal and state, when they borrow.
Therefore, by stating publicly that he inherited a huge debt burden, which is negatively impacting development of the state, Gov. Sani is inadvertently questioning the honest application of those loans against the projects for which they were borrowed. The projects, no doubt, are included in the “115 contractual liabilities” which the incumbent governor inherited. The further question that this elicits is a proper disclosure on the terms and conditions of the loans. Perhaps, the governor needs to go beyond the figures he merely rehashed by giving Kaduna people full details of the loans stating how much was secured and from which lenders as well as disclosing how much was spent on completed and uncompleted projects and what is left. This is a consequential step.
It is for this reason SERAP (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project), Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the Northern States and FCT Chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) are asking Governor Sani, and indeed, all state governors, to publish detailed reports on the state of loans secured by their predecessors.
This, it is believed, would enable the people, on whose behalf those loans were secured, to know the liability exposure of their states, which knowledge will put them in the right position to know what to expect from the incumbents or to seek help at recovery through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This may be the way out of the high incidences on loans, many of which are secured in the sunset of an administration’s life span, often times, under shadowy terms.
It is, however, worthy to note that Uba Sani had said that he has tactfully managed the state resources and not gone borrowing any amount since he took over on May 29, 2023.
This suggests an effort at prudence and accountability. His comment on the state of Kaduna finances is something that also has to do with open governance which involves the active involvement of stakeholders and citizens in the decision-making process of government bodies or public organizations and seeks to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public administration by involving citizens in the development of policies and decision-making processes.
Recall that the Kaduna state government, in 2016, signed on to the Open Governance Partnership (OGP) “as part of its commitment to promote accountability, transparency and citizens’ engagement in governance”. Therefore, there need not be any fuss about Governor Sani adopting and implementing the OGP as signed by his predecessor.
For Uba Sani to make the most of this open governance model, he must also ensure the establishment of open data policies, creating online platforms for citizen engagement, and introducing legislation to support transparency and accountability.
He may also require that his aides commit to collaborate with citizens and stakeholders to ensure that policies and decision-making processes are inclusive, transparent, and effective through making full disclosure on loans secured on behalf of the state.
This way, he will be able to promote accountability and reduces the risk of corruption and maladministration in his government. And by further involving citizens in the decision-making process, he will put himself on a platform where people of the state would hold him accountable for his decisions and actions including a review of loans by his predecessor.
This level of openness will be a departure from the past as it will encourage citizen engagement and participation in the governance process as well as empower them to contribute their ideas and opinions to the development of policies that would work for their development.
This is the surest way to create better impact and ensure greater public trust in his government. As it is now, the camp of his predecessor, won’t easily let go especially in a political environment where they see themselves as part of the process of the making of the Sani governorship, and as such feel entitled to patronage including watering their gardens and putting food on their tables.