THE purpose of government is the welfare and security of the people. All over the world, a people’s fate is inextricably tied to government.

In today’s world burdened by existential realities of anxiety, fear, suffering, hopelessness and other forms of socio-spiritual afflictions, the people look up to government to evolve policies that will cushion their affliction even on a physical and material note.

It is this ability of government to respond to the needs of her citizenry that made the Western world liveable to humanity more than the continent of Africa where governments until recently do not really complement the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

The aspirations and yearnings of the people is now strictly about development which is measurable in terms of infrastructure, education, health, employment, energy, roads, housing, increased life expectancy, security, food, shelter and now the new lexicon in Nigerian politics ‘’stomach infrastructure’’. A good government is about development in these spheres and more.

This development will not be if government policies are not sound or well implemented. It is also beyond sound policy. If a policy is sound and there is no integrity or transparency on the part of those in government corruption sets in and the system will collapse like a pack of cards. What will follow is underdevelopment which has been the bane of Africa.

Nigerians must now begin to think hard and make good electoral choices in politicians who have demonstrated development acumen in whatever position they had held in public or private domains.

And we all have the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega to thank for the transparency and credibility he has brought to bear on our elections. What should follow logically is for Nigerians to scrutinize what any politician contesting an election is bringing to the table as manifesto. Beyond this, the people should scrutinize the past of such a politician regarding how well he performed in previous engagements.

Our scrutiny should be critical so that whoever we settle for during election will deliver on the dividends of democracy. Such a candidate should be able to raise the tempo of development by managing the scarce resources available to the state. Government does not need a political Robin Hood who will distribute public money to a select few while the majority of the people wallow in poverty.

This is where the idea of paradigm shift comes in. Government should prioritize what constitutes development needs and how such can help assuage the plight of the masses.

The envisaged paradigm shift is what will take Nigeria to the level of development that will meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people. The point that should be made now is that this paradigm shift can only be realized by tested technocrat-politicians with a track record of engaging in development endeavours and in the sphere of politics.

The concept of the technocrat-politician is an emergent phenomenon that will take Africa and Nigeria to its desired destination in terms of development. This concept which allows tested technocrats to veer into the political terrain as practising politicians is fast becoming the vogue in most places. And they have become catalysts for   development.

There is no doubt that the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is being driven by technocrat-politicians like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Samuel Akinwunmi, Segun Aganga and others. The stellar performance of the later part of the Obasanjo regime was also the efforts of technocrat-politicians like Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, Nasiru El Rufai and co.

Delta State should not be left out in the technocrat-politician driven train of development. Since the creation of the state in 1991 politicians have ruled and done the best of their ability to develop the state. Now the state yearns for a paradigm shift that will make a technocrat-politician’s governorship an imperative. Here we are not talking of a technocrat retiring from public service yesterday and adorning the robes of a politician today.

No, we are referring to somebody with the full antecedent of technocratic-politicking i.e. somebody who has bestrode the technocrat highway as well as the intricate terrain of politics. The fellow dreams and implements developments and at the same time has his way with politicians and balances the interest of all. In this case the people are not short changed and the political class remains relevant.

For Delta State to fit into the paradigm shift, one aspirant out of the lot presently scheming to be governor of the state appears well prepared to mount the saddle and that is Mr. David Edevbie. Deltans should begin to assess politicians in terms of development criteria and not by mafioso inclinations. Politics is about development and not masochism and strong arm tactics. The new political leader to be thrown up by the paradigm shift is the one who embodies ideals, dreams, visions and an urgent sense of mission to develop the space over which he presides.

Many Nigerians who know David Edevbie acclaim him for his passion, drive, discipline, integrity and goal-getting acumen. He has been described as a development angel who has carried out different interventionist missions in many parts of the world. Back home in Nigeria, Edevbie played very significant roles in stabilizing Delta State and fast-tracking its development at the turn of the present millennium.

At the Federal level he designed the famous 7-Point agenda which has been described as the best policy articulation ever to have come out of Africa. Edevbie was also instrumental to the payment of 13% derivation by the Federal Government, the establishment of the Amnesty Programme and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which have helped to stabilize the nation’s economy.

The people of Delta State must opt for this paradigm shift and ensure that David Edevbie becomes the next governor. They must secure a date with history.

Kennedy Otumara writes from Warri in Delta State.