By Clifford Ndujihe, Anayo Okoli, Festus Ahon, Peter Duru, Egufe Yafugborhi, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Wole Mosadomi, Chioma Onuegbu, Bashir Bello, Peter Okutu, Steve Oko, Ogalah Ibrahim, Musa Ubandawaki & Haruna Aliyu,

ON Monday, May 29, no fewer than 18 governors across the country will quit the exalted office after contributing their quota to the development of their various states. Apart from Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, who failed to win a re-election and did only four years, the other 17 governors served for eight years.

The 17 out-going governors include Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Muhammad Badaru Abubakar (jigawa) and Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina).

The rest are Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano) Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger).

For 2,922 days, these men undertook the normal tasks of maintaining and building infrastructure such as roads and houses. They also looked at the issues of education, healthcare and welfare of the citizenry among others in ways that elicited praises and knocks. Thus, as they exit office the governors are leaving on their trail some landmark projects as well as inadequacies that would be remembered as their legacies and failures.

Masari’s sojourn in Katsina

In Katsina, Governor Masari would be remembered for building the first flyover in the state and increasing the number to three; increasing pupils enrolment into schools from 900 to 2.2 million; recruiting 7,000 S-Power teachers; constructing 22 major and 462 rural feeder roads; and 185 housing units.

He also ensured prompt payment of salaries to civil servants, with minimum wage structure, and gratuity and other benefits to retirees

Although he provided logistics support for military and paramilitary personnel and engaged 1,000 volunteers in the fight against insecurity, his war against banditry and terrorism did not make much impact as terrorists continue to terrorise communities in frontline council areas.

Ikpeazu’s scorecard

In Abia, Governor Ikpeazu made an impact in promotion of made -in-Aba products and encouragement of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs. Under his watch, there was relative peace in the state making Abia the most peaceful state in the South-East

He would be credited for introducing cement technology in road construction for durability.

However, some of the complaints against him include: backlog of workers’ salary and inability to pay pensions and gratuities to retirees; failure to complete the new Abia Government House that was initiated by his predecessor; inability to fix Aba, the economic honey pot of the state contrary to expectations and general slogan that “Aba son will rebuild Aba” and near collapse of the education sector under his watch as Abia State University Medical College lost its accreditation for the first time while the accreditation of Abia Polytechnic Aba was withdrawn.

WIKE:  ‘Mr Infrastructure’ in Rivers

In Rivers, Wike embarked on unprecedented infrastructures delivery with 12 flyovers, Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School, lifetime duplexes and exotic cars for state and federal judges serving in Rivers among the flagship projects. 

He exhibited courage and political will to speak truth to power, particularly in tackling abuse of federal power like the court ruling on the suits that stopped FG’s direct deductions from the Federation Account to fund the Nigeria Police Force, NPF. 

Wike showed commitment to affirmative action towards gender equality by working with a female deputy throughout his tenure and insisting on women as deputy chairmen in all Rivers LGs; and initiating a law prohibiting traditions denying women family inheritance from their parents. 

However, on the negative side, Wike is being criticized for being negligent on promotions, retirement and paying accrued benefits to Rivers civil servants; excessive donation of the state’s commonwealth to other states; being too combative and confrontational on relations with other states based on personal interests, like demolishing sister Bayelsa state property in Port Harcourt’ and inability to contain criminality in spite of huge deployment of funds.

Okowa’s run in Delta

Senator Okowa’s eight years would not be forgotten in hurry on account of unique projects like three new universities; Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba; Maryam Babangida Film Village and Leisure Park; Asaba storm drainage; Ogheye Floating Market; Koka flyover; and the multi-billion naira ultramodern secretariat that houses all the ministries parastatals and agencies. 

He also completed and built several roads across the state and established the Delta State Job Creation Scheme which has created thousands of direct and indirect jobs for youths in the state.

On the flip side, Okowa’s drawbacks include delay in the payment of pensions and gratuity to retirees; inadequate investment in the power sector, and poor waste management and sanitation in some areas of the state.

Umahi’s reign in Ebonyi 

The eight-year tenure of Governor Umahi affected the lives of Ebonyi people positively and negatively.

His legacies include: Construction of over 20 flyovers across the state; Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Onueke, Ezza South LGA; Ebonyi Shopping Mall; Christian Ecumenical Centre; new Ebonyi State Government House, Abakaliki; King David University, Uburu, Ohaozara LGA; completion of Ebonyi State House of Assembly; concrete-base roads in the 13 LGAs; and Iyere, the longest span bridge in the South- East zone at Afikpo South LGA.

Although he made Ebonyi a construction site in spite of meager resources throughout his reign, complaints and criticisms against Governor Umahi are enormous following his alleged dictatorial tendencies.

His inability to create robust welfare packages for workers in the state is one of the failings. Instead of fulfilling his promise of increasing workers’ salaries by 100 percent he slashed their salaries and made life difficult for them.

The governor did not check incessant collection of multiple taxes from citizens. He was also on the radar for intolerance of contrary views and had brushes with the media. At a stage he ordered the arrest of Vanguard and Sun correspondents, Peter Okutu because of a report he felt was not favourable to him.

Another worrisome issue during Umahi’s tenure was the victimization and incarceration of citizens, especially those he perceived as political enemies. 

Ugwuanyi’s footprints on Coal City

Easy-going Governor Ugwuanyi constructed rural roads to link and open up many communities in the 17 LGAs of Enugu State.

He strived to ensure that the state was peaceful and security in the last seven years was appreciably good but not without cases of attacks by herders and unknown gunmen. But it was relatively better compared to the situations in neighbouring states of Ebonyi, Anambra and Imo.
One big legacy Ugwuanyi left for the people of Nsukka, was the urban renewal he carried outin Nsukka township which has given the University town a new look. Coupled with the urban renewal was the building of the State Government Secretariat Annex, a stadium and a Medical University at Igbo-Uno.

However, many communities in the immediate outskirts of Nsukka are complaining
of neglect.
One of the major complaints against his Government is that of land-grabbing. Many communities are currently at loggerheads with the Government over the manner of acquisition of their land by the Government for projects, mainly housing estate projects.
Also, residents of Enugu frown that he did not embark on urban renewal of Enugu, the state capital, to improve on what his predecessor did as many of the roads in the metropolis have collapsed.

Lalong’s long walk on the Plateau

In Plateau, Governor Simon Lalong is leaving behind legacies and liabilities.

Among the legacies, he initiated and commenced work on a fly-over bridge at the British-American junction, Jos. He also procured radio-diagnostic and imaging equipment for the State Specialist hospital.

The governor put in place the State healthcare insurance scheme otherwise known as PLASCHEMA to boost healthcare and also gave attention to the State-owned University, PLASU which led to the accreditation of 17 programmes.

However, the health and education sectors in the hinterlands are eyesores. He has been accused of leaving a huge debt burden. He is also being criticized for the manner he managed the various attacks and displacements of persons in the communities in the state especially in Irigwe chiefdom of Bassa LGA;  Bokkos LGA and the recent one in over 20 communities in Mangu LGA where at the time of this report, there has not been any immediate support from the state or federal governments. He was seen to have always painted a picture of peace when citizens are being killed by the attackers.

Tambuwal’s legacies

In Sokoto, Governor Tambuwal will be remembered for his declaration of a state of emergency on education. He constructed a number of schools and additional classrooms around the state. He was instrumental to the construction of the state University Teaching Hospital; Girls science Academy; Sokoto State University of Education; Sokoto State College of Nursing Sciences, Tambuwal; and Government Secondary School, Gudu.

In the 5th year of his administration, Tambuwal commenced construction of two state of the art flyovers and dualisation of Dange/Sokoto road, and a flyover on Sokoto/Illela road. Both projects have reached over 75 per cent completion.

One of the flyovers situated along the ever busy Abdullahi Fodio / Usumanu Dan Fodiyo University road have since been commissioned and put into use.

The state investment house, the state board of internal revenue and Sokoto Geographical information system are some of the agencies the governor brought back to life after years of neglect.

Known for his tolerance of the opposition, Tambuwal, however, has been accused of neglecting the civil service, and rendering civil servants in the state redundant.

The governor has been at loggerheads with retirees in the state over payment of their gratuities.

In the last eight years Tambuwal paid gratuity only once in 2016. He is leaving behind gratuities of over N7 billion accumulated between 2016 and 2023.

How Udom shaped Akwa Ibom

In Akwa Ibom, Governor Udom Emmanuel is leaving the stage with a lot of feathers on his cap. After eight years in the saddle, Emmanuel will be fondly remembered for the Ibom Airline, which is owned by the state with a fleet of seven aircraft, including five Bombardier 900 series and two Airbuses. 

To make the state the aviation hub of the Gulf of Guinea, Emmanuel started the construction of the Smartest Airport Terminal; and the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, MRO.

To industrialise Akwa Ibom, Emmanuel attracted the Syringe factory,  automated Kings Flour Mill,  Metering solutions factory, Coconut refinery, industrial clusters in Itam that produces bamboo, Car Assembly Plant, and the Smartest 21-Storey Dakkada Tower at Udo Udoma Avenue, among others.

He also recorded giant stride in the Health Sector, particularly the Secondary Health care,  by improving on the general hospitals located in the 10 federal constituencies of the state and  

is leaving behind a good network of roads built across the three senatorial districts.

Although Udom has been regular and paying salaries and pensions promptly, the major  complaint against him is his failure to clear the backlog of gratuities inherited from previous administrations as well as harmonisation of pensions.

Ortom’s legacies, complaints against him 

In Benue, Governor Samuel Ortom has the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017 as his major legacy. 

The law was enacted, despite external pressure, to help check the bloodletting in Benue communities following unending armed herders’ incursions, attacks and killings in several communities. 

Another remarkable legacy of the Ortom administration is the network of roads he constructed across the LGAs. 

The health sector of the state also felt the impact of the administration with the rehabilitation of General Hospitals and structures at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi where modern dialysis and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, machines were provided. 

The governor executed no fewer than 45 rural electrification projects; and constructed and renovated thousands of primary and secondary classroom blocks with facilities in various parts of the state. 

In spite of these lofty projects, Ortom’s major challenge was his inability to clear the backlog of salaries, pensions and gratuity owed several categories of workers in the state accumulated by successive governments including his, after being denied the facility which was extended to other states by the FG for that purpose.

Ganduje’s footmarks in Kano

Unlike governors who abandon projects initiated by their predecessors due to their political differences, Governor Ganduje completed some projects he inherited from the governments of Senators Ibrahim Shekarau and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The projects include roads/bridges and hospitals such as the Muhammadu Buhari bridge in Sabon Gari market (initiated by Kwankwaso); and the Giginyu hospital and Pediatric hospital (initiated by Shekarau).

One of his legacy projects is the Kano Cancer treatment centre.

Similarly, he is funding the scholarship of foreign students started by Kwankwaso.

He received kudos and knocks for dethroning the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II and creating four new additional emirates in the state which he said was to bring development closer to the people.

Jigawa

In Jigawa, Governor Muhammad Badaru, who got to power on the platform of the APC, has completed some projects he inherited from his predecessor from the opposition PDP.

The inherited projects worth over N90 billion and the projects have been completed and commissioned

In the aspect of health, the media-shy Badaru has sponsored medical students to study both at home and abroad.

Niger

In Niger, Governor Sani Bello will be remembered for paying promptly salaries and other entitlements of civil servants.

Pension and gratuities of some retired civil servants especially in the local government areas are however still outstanding.

He also ensured cordiality among Executive, Legislative and Judiciary arms of government throughout his tenure; and smooth relationship between the government and traditional rulers for effective grassroots administration.

However, the governor could not tackle insecurity as no fewer than 10 of the 25 LGAs of the state are still under the siege of terrorists who ravage the areas at will.

Most roads are dilapidated and despite billions of Naira expended on the Ruga project, nothing appreciable has come out of it.

Epileptic power supply has ruined the economy of the state. The government is indebted heavily to AEDC resulting in regular disconnection of electricity to Government House, SSG’s office, Secretariat, General Hospital, IBB Specialist Hospital, and Water Works among other key government offices.

Uncompleted projects liter the state due to unsettled contract fees.

The governor spent most of his time outside the state; the economy of the state is grounded; and Minna, the state capital, has been taken over by hoodlums thereby giving residents sleepless nights. 

Bagudu’s eventful, wasteful years in Kebbi

Eight years of Governor Bagudu in Kebbi were as eventful as they were wasteful. His first tenure was greeted by much expectation, having hailed from Birnin Kebbi the state capital. Birnin Kebbi was in a dire need of infrastructure befitting a state capital because it had been abandoned by successive governments.

Unfortunately, Bagudu failed to give the capital the desired attention and Birnin Kebbi is still lacking in infrastructure that will make it look like a state capital.

As he quits office, Governor Bagudu completed 80 of the 85 roads projects he started and connected at least 200 villages with road networks.

In the area of civil service, Bagudu pays salaries and pensions promptly including full payments of gratuities even though there was no promotion or salary increment throughout the eight years.

In his second term, he was regarded as ‘absentee governor’ after he was appointed Chairman APC governors forum. Since then Bagudu was on and off and he hardly spent a week in Kebbi.