While in the South-West the media is busy showcasing the achievements of its new emerging leaders, like Governor Fashola of Lagos State, the northern media are busy plotting how to pull down the North’s emerging leaders, all in the name of petty politics.  If the truth must be told. In the tortuous and murky waters of Nigerian politics, the likes of Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina State, are a rare breed.  The success of the South-West politics is that people focus more on personalities and less on political party politics.

In this current political dispensation, when considering the indices and every parameter for assessment in terms of good governance and development, Governor Shema is not lagging behind.  This may not be known to many, simply because the region from where the governor hails is always ready to sacrifice its best material on the alter of petty politics.  It is an undisputable fact that since May 2007, when Barrister Shema was sworn in as Governor of Katsina State, he has taken bold steps in the provision of infrastructure, free education at all levels, enhanced health care services, agriculture development, youth empowerment and general well being of the people of Katsina State, all these he has achieved out of clear vision of service to humanity.

Within four years (2007 – 2010) of Governor Shema’s administration, 142 new additional secondary schools were established; 30 new roads totaling 519.04km were constructed; 1,772 houses were built, 84 new buses were purchased for Katsina State Transport Authority; free education at all levels; payment of enhanced teachers salary structure; and free medical care for dialysis patients, malaria treatment, pregnant mothers, delivery and caesarean section, among other laudable people-oriented projects.

The most interesting thing about Katsina State government under the leadership of Governor Shema is that, while other states with lesser achievements are weighed down with debt portfolio of both internal and external loans, the reverse is the case with Governor Shema’s administration. It is on record that his administration inherited about N6 billion from its predecessor, but surprisingly, from 2007 till date, Governor Shema’s administration has consistently maintained the closing balance of its account with the sum that ranges between N20 billion – 30 billion at the end of each fiscal year, since 2007.

Anyone who monitors Nigeria’s political arena closely will discover that Governor Shema’s brand of politics is premised on high sense of responsibility.

On more than two occasions in the course of his gubernatorial campaign tour, his campaign entourage has been attacked by the opposition in the State. Rather than order retaliation from his supporters, Governor Shema simply reported the incident to security agents for investigation.  Is it not an irony that since the political campaigns commenced, no opposition political party or candidate has been attacked, harassed or molested by the supporters of Governor Shema?

In Nigeria’s context, it is only in Katsina State that one would find a governor crying and shouting for protection by security agents, while the opposition are having their way with violence.  In Katsina State, the campaign advertisement of the opposition are being aired on the state media. How many state governors in Nigeria are tolerating this despite the warning by NBC?  Recently, the hand of one of Governor Shema’s supporters was chopped off with a cutlass by one of the supporters of his political opponents. The pertinent question is, why is it that only Governor Shema and his supporters that are the victims of political violence in the states? In Katsina State hospitals, there are many victims of political violence receiving treatment, and they are mainly Governor Shema’s supporters.

It is worrisome that the northern based media are beclouded with petty politics to the extent that they have ignored the potentials and virtues in Governor Shema. It is an act of absurdity for any political party or any individual to make a political statement out of the ugly road accident that claimed the lives of Governor Shema’s Aide-de-Camp, ASP Aminu Ibrahim, and four others.  The death of Aide-de-camp was not only a loss to Governor Shema as an individual, but a loss to Nigeria as a whole.

If the north and its media fail to promote and support the likes of Governor Shema of Katsina State, in the next few years, only God knows what the North will stand for.

Tunde wrote this piece from IBB Way, Katsina