The cyberspace yesterday was filled with news and comments regarding the controversial resignation of Aisha Ahman Pategi, the immediate past Commissioner for Special Duties. Though the news wouldn’t be a surprise for those who are ardent followers of Kwara politics following the recent imbroglio between the ex-commissioner and some government officials within the cabinet.
Aisha Pategi, who was once a commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, was moved to the Ministry of Special Duties after she reportedly raised an alarm over the alleged diversion of N300M Local Government funds by some government officials without due process.
Some weeks after the emergence of the allegation, the state government reshuffled the cabinet and invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct an independent probe into the allegation.
Meanwhile, the commissioner finally resigned yesterday.
However, a tree doesn’t sway here and there unless there’s wind, even though the current administration may wish to deny this, it’s obvious that the resignation of Pategi is not just a mere coincidence, it is a bad omen for Gov AbdulRahman’s administration that one of the youngest, competent and outstanding commissioners in his cabinet who many Kwarans are looking forward to her exemplary performance due to her valuable experience quits without any substantial reason.
It is out of mere coincidence that Aisha Ahman Pategi who is a professional business manager with over 20 years of experience in communication strategy, investment/financial consulting, and marketing and motivational leadership and also one of the best performing commissioners could just resign from the government whose administration seems to be excelling without any intriguing reason.
Despite the fact that the letter looks so benign as if the commissioner resigned at her volition, the alleged drama, fussy reshuffling which preceded her resignation are pointers to the fact that something is not right somewhere, but where?
Is Aisha not aware that she’s going to spend 4 years in office before she accepted the appointment? Is she not capable enough and henceforth gets frustrated and resigned? Is there any maladministration in Government that Aisha is not ready to comply with? And if it’s none of the above, could it be because of a personal rift between her and who? the Governor? No! it cannot be Governor, maybe someone else within the government but anyways Governor too is a human being. These are the questions on my head.
The claim that her resignation is a coincidence is unbelievable, coincidence rarely happens in politics, for everything that looks accidental in politics there’s always a reason behind it and the cesspit of people orchestrating its happening.
For instance, Japan’s Minister resigned yesterday due to health reasons, in 2018, Kemi Adeosun resigned as Buhari minister due to the alleged forgery of NYSC certificate, in 2019 another minister in Buhari’s administration resigned to run for House of Representatives, recently some commissioners resigned from Obaseki’s Government due to political differences.
Nigerians due to the greediness of our politicians, government officials hardly relinquish their positions without reasons, it’s either they are being forced to do so due to internal or external forces or they do so to achieve another goal.
Even though the Governor had set a committee to investigate the Local Government funds matter, it’s literally impossible for a dog to bite the hand that feeds him— the committee will only work according to how the governor wants it to work so I’m not freaked by that, one cannot be a judge in his own case and still be objective.
And EFCC too? that has become the instrument that politicians adopt to prey on other colleagues who step beyond the line, that is just how Nigeria politics works.
For two outstanding government officials to resign within a week, not even a month or year margin, even if it doesn’t signify anything it signifies that AbdulRahman is losing the pivot of coordination and ‘Things are falling apart’ beyond his capability.
This makes it pertinent for the Governor to harmonize his cabinet and enhance an inclusive government where everybody would be carried along without anybody usurping the role of others.
A scholar once said, “Some people think that the truth can be hidden with a little cover-up and decoration. But as the time goes on what is true will be revealed and what’s fake fades away”. As the governor’s apologists are working round the clock to cover the reality of the matter, it’s still a matter of time that their undercover would later be exposed because even if a lie journeys for 20 years it takes one day for the truth to nullify it.