By JOHN BULUS

THERE is uneasy calm in Gombe State. Politicians, especially from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, have been virulently divided along personal and political lines in the interpretations of the situation. Even Bookmakers who predicted early take-off of the new government are tingly placed on tenterhooks, and have consequently launched themselves into a tirade of guesses. The populace too, are anxious. And everything has remained in insipid state since May 29 when power changed hands in the state.

This scenario critically defines the mood of things in the state and aptly explains the degree of public perception of Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo in the two weeks he has governed the state. Not a few persons expected that the governor should have rolled out his blue print for the state. But such is yet to be made public, at least at the time of examining the situation in black and white.

Vanguard gathered that Dankwambo’s first week in office occasioned several dilly-dallies where series of consultations and meetings between him, his Deputy, Mr. David Miyims Albashi and other stakeholders especially the security agencies in the state. It was amply expected that after the meetings, a new Chief Security Officer, CSO, in the Government House will emerge. But that was never the case. Instead, internal bickering and in-fighting between the Police Force and men of State Security Services, SSS, over which  institution should get the juicy office ensued. Similarly, not a few persons expected that appointment of Principal Officers should have been made. But again, such is still in limbo.

However, at the peak of anxiety, the Governor, on June 2 announced three key appointments – . Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff (COS), and Head of Service (HOS) and thereafter recoiled into his shelf. The hopes of many who had expected advisory appointments were obviously dashed. This included media aides.

To this end, Vanguard can authoritatively report that tongues have started wagging and huge fear raised about the direction the new government will chart. Sources close to the governor said that there may be tough wars ahead as no one could even read the body language of the governor. Dankwambo, the sources added, is not talking to anyone or disclosing his intentions. The Government House itself looks deserted especially when the governor is not around due to lack of activities as no appointments have been made. What is currently obtained in and around the compound is a situation where most former staff of the erstwhile government, from cleaners to drivers, are jostling to be retained.

Meanwhile, the situation has obviously prompted some logical tantrums among the political class. While some people are of the view that the taciturnity on the part of the Governor is hyperbolizing the already bizarre situation of avalanche suspicions, others however, are wont to say that the governor needs time to study and acclimatize with the environment before swinging into action.

Citing the actions of other new governors like Mr. Owelle Rochas of Imo State who made some key appointments on the day of his inauguration, those who accuse the governor of tardy and tepid start recalled the late President Umaru Musa Yar‘Adua early days in office in which he wasted some productive time before assembling his team of Ministers who as well seemed stuck in limbo after one year in office; submitting that leaders of worth always have the pre-knowledge of existing problems even before aspiring for the office so as to swing into action without much ado when eventually voted into office.

But while the argument holds, the other school of thought is giving the governor a clean bill of health in his decision to slow things down, defining it as the political savvy of the governor.

Meanwhile, as if calculated to blend with the current “long“ wait, the Governor had on his inauguration day stated that “we would take adequate sock of the situation (of things on ground in Gombe State) within the next four weeks, and we will come out and tell the good people of Gombe State clearly the position of things.“

Again, the statement has generated concerns from different keen political watchers. While  many reason that the import of the current happenstances in the state connote the governor‘s utterance, others argue that stock-taking in government is a collective thing which the governor may not unilaterally realize even though the issue of Commissionership as an appropriate vehicle of speed and realization has not yet hit the front burner in many states.

Whatever the case, Vanguard can however fathom some scenarios which arguably pass for why the stage since May 29 is yet to be coloured. For starters, a lot of care and finesse needs to be dispensed on the part of the governor so as not to hit the Chessboard that facilitated his fortunes and eventual emergence as governor in the April elections.

Vanguard can also report that variegated interests from different fronts in the state who had a hand in the gubernatorial victory of Dankwambo are mountainous and doubtlessly need either recognition or compensation. Chief among them is the immediate past Governor, Alhaji Mohammad Danjuma Goje who is perceived to not have only paved way for Dankwambo, but worked assiduously to concretize the political arithmetic.

Analysts posit that prior to now, there was no known structure credited to Dankwambo that would have culminated into his electoral victory. According to them, former governor Danjuma Goje had, and in his determined quest to secure Dankwambo‘s mandate relinquished them.

Though he occupied the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Dankwambo was only seen as an Abuja civil servant and not even a politician with formidable grassroots fronts. This may not be far from being the reason why the only tripartite appointment made by the new government so far was the recalling of Goje‘s lieutenants which included Alhaji Abubakar Sule Bagge who retained his portfolio as the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Honourable Ahmed Yayari, the immediate past Commissioner for Sports and Culture who is the new Chief of Staff (CoS) and the new Head of Service, Mr. Eli Akeme who was until hitherto, a Permanent Secretary in the State Civil service.

Most political pundits also believe that Dankwambo whose lofty ideals and intelligence are not in doubt in Gombe State must however, be very cautious in order not to court fire and brimstone from forces that brought him to power. And to get it right, they added that this early stage, appointments are very critical. Though Gombe is not synonymous with godfatherism, many still believe that some “powerful“ elements in terms of political networking, were behind Dankwambo‘s electoral success and would need to be appreciated.