Nigeria and indeed Plateau State has been ruled by an elite class of military dictators/leaders who have held the country at its jugular (throat) since independence. This elite class of leaders are septuagenarians and Octogenarians –who are frail, senile and demented. They still hold on to the parochial views of the 1950s and 60s, not realising that the world as it were, has changed and that we are in a new global millennium where no geographical entity, state or country stands as an island.

At 70 years of age, Jonah Jang is one such septuagenarians –albeit a more progressive one. He has had his own share of the national cake, having been a military administrator of the old Gongola state, Benue State and now his bosom Plateau state. As well as those lofty governorship appointments, he also held several high profile appointments in Federal Boards and Parastatals including NIPSS Kuru.

Nigeria and indeed Plateau State has been ruled by an elite class of military dictators/leaders who have held the country at its jugular (throat) since independence. This elite class of leaders are septuagenarians and Octogenarians –who are frail, senile and demented. They still hold on to the parochial views of the 1950s and 60s, not realising that the world as it were, has changed and that we are in a new global millennium where no geographical entity, state or country stands as an island.

At 70 years of age, Jonah Jang is one such septuagenarians –even though a more progressive one. He has had his own share of the national cake, having been a military administrator of the old Gongola state, Benue State and now his bosom Plateau state. As well as those lofty governorship appointments, he also held several high profile appointments in Federal Boards and Parastatals including NIPSS Kuru.

Unlike most in this elite class of failed leaders though, Jang boast of a track record which is quite enviable. He has left his mark on the annals of history and is still fondly remembered and adulated in Benue and the current Adamawa/Taraba states, where he achieved feats where very few were able to achieve. In Benue state for instance, he is credited with several large capital infrastructure projects which still stand today. People remember fondly how he governed in the old Gongola state, calling him the best of the bunch in that period.

In his home state of Plateau, there is no doubt that the man has done quite well. Looking back over the Plateau he met and what he’d leave behind, shows that he has done far above average. Jos is wearing a new look in terms of infrastructure, several new road networks have been opened and several money bringing projects (ASTC) have been commissioned.

That said, other sectors have increasingly become comatose and derelict. Education for instance appears to have been relegated to the background. Several industrial actions have occurred during his 7 years as Governor and people have become increasingly disgruntled by his commitment to the education. Plateau, which hitherto was a cradle of educational excellence has fallen behind even educationally challenged states like Zamfara state. In recent WAEC and NECO exams, over 70% of the student did not score the requisite marks that qualified further education. Also, people have accused him of running an exclusive Government, where appointments only serve a certain part/tribe of the state. Several of these people have become disillusioned with his leadership style and have tagged him dictatorial. Whether this is true or not, remains a matter of debate, but there is no doubt that in the Plateau public sphere, other ethnic groups remain very crossed and irked by what they term the lopsided running of the government to favour the governors ethnic extraction.

With 2015 in the offing –Jang has played his cards very close to his chest. He has refuse to give an indication of whom he is supporting or “anointing”, whilst also shutting out old politicians who defected to other political parties. Admirable and tenable as this may look at the moment, the strategy is an unsustainable one. Firstly, he can try to block these politicians for now, but this cannot be sustainable in the long term, because once he leaves office he’d soon be become like them. He’d realise that once out of office, you become a passenger and a spectator to national affairs, just like everyone else. And that the new incumbent governor can decide to run the affairs of the state without your consult or consent and there is nothing you can do about it. The other bitter truth is that, whoever you anoint –may be subservient and loyal for a few years, but will eventually rebel and try to become their own man, whilst trying to build their own political dynasty (just like every other politician would do). This has been a recurrent theme in all Nigerian politics from 1999 till date. To buttress this fact, all the political stooges installed by ex-governors (who acted as Godfathers) have ended up fighting their stooges because the stooges later begin to have a mind of their own and would want to man-up, as opposed to being tele-guided by a godfather. Not a single one of those in all 36 states have maintained a cordial relationship all through. This is the harsh reality of Nigerian politics and anyone who underestimates this, would be making a fatal/cardinal mistake. 

In closing, my advise to the Governor would be for him to protect his legacy, by allowing the will of the people to prevail as opposed to trying to install an unpopular candidate. His legacy in Plateau will stand for generations to come, but if he is not careful, this can be scuttled by the excessive bravado of thinking that the power of incumbency lasts forever (because it doesn’t). A lot of people may pretend to be on your side today, but the truth is that once you leave office –these people would transfer their allegiance to the next Governor at your expense. 

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Why Jang should not make the fatal mistake of trying to impose an unpopular candidate on Plateau