EMPTY COFFERS

Is it true? Did many former state governors leave their states bankrupt or close to bankruptcy? According to Rueben Abati, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, Niger, Plateau and Sokoto State are facing empty coffers.

Many of you will comment that I should not be shocked, but I am. I understand that 'leaders' can "chop money well, well" (translation: steal money), but I would hope that in this day and age they would steal with caution and sophistication. Take a little - skim off the top. Leave enough to cover your tracks.

Don't get me wrong, I am not endorsing theft of public/government property and/or monies, I just would appreciate them leaving a little for the masses. Case in point, the new governor of Niger State has announced that Niger must borrow more than N700 billion to pay state workers and is already beginning to negotiate with labor leadership over the issue. The issue is so pervasive that Enugu State's deficit of N4 billion was referred to as a "modest figure under the circumstances." No wonder several former state governors were on the run even before their successors were sworn into office. Their immunity was up and they could now be held accountable for their failures.

My people, if you know a former governor who has been proven to have left his state with empty coffers, use your cell phone to take a picture of him/her, note the time and place and put it up on Youtube. That way we all know what he/she looks like and can keep an eye out. No, really. This has got to stop, politicians are servants not tyrants and are accountable for their actions. There need to be a top ten list of thief-thief people. Just like the FBI's most wanted list. Like Fela sang long ago, "Catch am, catch am, thief thief...."