Chief Emmanuel Bello is the Social Democratic Party’s Governorship Candidate for Adamawa State for the 2019 election. In this interview with EMMANUEL SAMUEL in Yola, Bello unveils his 10-point agenda for the state, saying he will leave no one behind in the administration of the state if elected Governor, among other issues. Excerpts.
Why are you interested in the governorship seat in Adamawa?
The present situation of successive failure of Governments in Adamawa State is what motivated me to contest for the office of the Executive Governor of Adamawa State on the platform of the Social Democratic Party in order to mitigate the problems for sustainable growth of our state. Adamawa State has experienced monumental and a paradoxical crisis of continuous failed leadership that has not met up with the basic needs of the people of the state. Successive governments were and are still embedded in weakness of poor stewardship, largely because of weak capacity of governance, misplaced political interests, and have lost focus on human value system. Our people are hungry, government institutions are not functioning, service delivery is in a poor state, our economy is out of shape because of mismanagement, the security of lives and property is at risk, salary payments are not met, unemployment is increasing on a daily basis, students scholarship are not paid. The list of the failing services are endless. That is why, on the day of my acceptance speech, I pledged before God and man, not to betray the trust and goodwill of the people of Adamawa State if elected Governor. I affirmed that pledge before my people. If elected Governor, I will run an administration that is people-centered and all embracing. That is why we are happy to christen the agenda “Community-driven government in Adamawa State: Leave no one behind”. In all situations, my aim is to mitigate the problem of embedded weakness of poor implementation of policies, because of weak capacity of governance, misplaced political interest, poor economic management, weak monitoring and evaluation and feedback mechanism for sustainable growth.
Could you share with us your manifesto or agenda that will serve as a reference point if elected into office as Governor of Adamawa State?
I have a 10-point agenda and policy document that will serve as a guide and roadmap to my stewardship and governance in the 2019, tagged ” Leave no one behind.” This agenda and policy document have been well thought-out and reviewed by a team of some of the brightest brains Adamawa State has to offer. I thank the team for a job well done. My satisfaction for this inclusive exercise is that, it justifies my belief that governance is a shared responsibility to which all is invited to. What we have put together is a “New Agenda” in all sense of it and it provides a harvest of “new opportunities” to the people of the state. In office, all we will do as a government will be dictated by this agenda and policy document. It will be, for us, our second Holy Book.
Let’s go straight to the agenda…
We have what I captioned, first attention to those who need the most. Our administration shall pay special attention to the needs of our special segment of our population, which include children, youths, women, elderly and other vulnerable groups in the state. No one, as we promised, shall be left behind by our government. We intend to have what I call healthy citizens, quality hospital. Our administration will launch, within the first 100 days in office, a comprehensive health service programme for the state. The programme will focus on the rehabilitation of existing hospitals, health centres and maternities. We are convinced that if these existing hospitals and health centres are rehabilitated and made to function at optimum level, the basic health needs of our people will be provided for. We shall also begin the process of turning the General Hospital in Mubi into a first class Specialist Hospital. Secondly, we have Farmland for farmers. Land ownership and preparation remains a major headache for farmers in the state. Our administration will alleviate this bottleneck from farmers in the state, which, by the way, represent nearly 75 per cent of our population, the organisation of innovative cooperative farmers’ farmland projects for economic growth of all. Our administration shall check the present wave of insecurity in the state through genuine and transparent community engagement activities on security. Our diversity is our strength. Adamawa State is one of the most diverse collections of tribes, cultures and people in the country. We shall promote, deliberately, a programme of social networking and respect among the divergent nationalities in the state. Public trust and accountability shall be our watchword. Our administration shall be guided by a zero tolerance for corruption of all kinds. We shall pursue 100 per cent transparency and accountability by government at all levels in the state.
I am going to go after all public funds because I am going to need the money for the health system, for women who are giving birth, for the education of our children. So, one man cannot steal all our money and you say, we leave him and draw the line. Which line? We will go after him and recover all the stolen money
How do you intend to raise funds to execute this agenda?
My conviction, ever then, and now, is that lying within our reach is our lands. They are the resources for the revamping and development of our state and our people for sustainability. Our arable land is our collective gold mine. In there, lies our collective future and growth, not Abuja. I postulated further at the historic Congress of our party that, if not for the lack of innovative ideas, there are no reasons why Adamawa State should periodically resort to Abuja for financial bailouts, to provide for the needs of the people of the state. We have a vast land in Adamawa, so, if someone is not lazy, he is the noble type, each and every young man should be able to do some work and contribute his own quota to the development of the state. We are going to encourage the young people and challenge them to be gainfully employed, and create economic activities around themselves, that will improve the capital income generation and GDP of the state. At the moment, our capital income is so low; even Ekiti State is better than Adamawa and yet, Adamawa has an ample opportunity to become a very rich state, if not the richest state in Nigeria.
You spoke about embezzlement of public funds and lack of security. Can you shed more light on this?
If there is security in Adamawa State, why are they kidnapping people all over? And breaking into people’s homes? It is the responsibility of government to provide security and protect the lives and property of its citizens. The government in Adamawa State has failed completely in this responsibility. We should talk about it and make a case for the voters to reject the government of Governor Bindow because the government has failed.
Talking about embezzlement, in our rough calculation, which we are coming to debate, if there is any at all, we know that what was received have not been accounted for; so we are going to raise this issue. If I happen to win election as governor of Adamawa State, I will probe Bindow’s administration and recover all the money he has (allegedly) embezzled. When General Buhari came, he came with a message of zero tolerance for corruption. The first message was to send investors away out of the country. I don’t intend to do that. I don’t know if somebody stole public funds, and there is a rule or financial regulations, if it is flouted, I do not know why such person should not be punished to serve as a deterrent to others? Anybody who stole public funds, I will go after him. Definitely, I will go after any body who stole Adamawa funds. If I embezzle funds, you should come after me. I am going to go after all public funds because I am going to need the money for the health system, for women who are giving birth, for the education of our children, so one man cannot steal all our money and you say, we leave him and draw the line, which line? We will go after him and recover all the stolen money.
What model are you going to put in place to resolve farmers-herdsmen crisis if you are elected?
Government is not about wearing good cloth and putting powder on the face. It is giving back to the society what society requires. Anybody who is not serious should not think of being a governor. We have lazy people in government. People who are not thinking and are not researching what they govern. Seventy-two per cent of our land is vacant, no house, no farms on them. Why should we have conflict? That is the answer.
Why should Adamawa people vote for you? What have you done for them to deserve their votes?
Vote for me because I am Emmanuel Bello, that is the answer. You know Emmanuel, and then Bello, a very good combination. That makes the difference. Doesn’t it? However, that is on a lighter note. I was a member of the House of Representatives, Gombi and Hong Constituency (2007 to 2011). My record speaks for itself. Up till now, if you are going along Gombi and Hong, you will see those areas with hand-pumped water taps that were provided by me to the people of my community. We drink the same water from the same borehole. I built about 182 water systems when I was in the House of Reps. Because I was proactive in 2008 to 2009, I employed over 500 people in each section of the paramilitary. The Nigerian Police Force, Customs and Excise, Nigeria Immigrations Service, 500; Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, 350; Nigeria Defence Academy, 16 slots. You can find out from the people of my constituency, I went there myself with the recruits to ensure they were recruited. The Public Transport Insurance Law was sponsored by me. It is very difficult for a lawmaker to pass two Bills in one session, but during my time, I did it. Anything worth doing should be done very well and I believe in that. If I want to be governor, I shall be governor, and I shall be governor indeed, which every Adamawa citizen will be proud of.
