Political Praise Must Not Eclipse Kebbi’s Security Crisis.
A Rejoinder to Ibrahim Abubakar Jombali’s Article on Governor Nasir Idris’s Appointment as APC Director of Labour Relations.
By Dantani Ango Yalo
October 14, 2026
There is nothing wrong with celebrating political appointments, recognising professional experience or commending a public officeholder for an opportunity to serve nationally. However, when praise overwhelms public communication and leaves little room for citizens’ pressing concerns, an important question arises: who speaks for ordinary people when those entrusted with informing the public focus more on celebrating power than confronting hardship?
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That is the central issue raised by Ibrahim Abubakar Jombali’s article, “Let Who the Cap Fits Wear It: Unveiling Governor Nasir Idris, a Comrade in the Right Place at the Right Time as APC’s Labour Relations Director.”
Mr Jombali, Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment and Orientation to the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, presents Governor Nasir Idris, popularly known as Kaura, as an ideal choice for the position of Director of Labour Relations of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Governor Idris’s background as a former national president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers provides a legitimate basis for discussing his experience in organised labour. He is entitled to recognition for his professional history and to accept political responsibilities.
However, public enlightenment must not become public glorification. Political loyalty must not silence legitimate questions about security, governance and citizens’ welfare.
The issue is not whether Governor Idris deserves praise for his appointment. The more important question is whether the people of Kebbi State are receiving the protection, attention and accountability they deserve.
Where Is the Same Energy for Insecurity?
Mr Jombali’s article is detailed in its praise of the governor’s labour credentials, political relevance and expected contribution to the APC’s electoral fortunes. Yet it gives rise to a reasonable question: why devote so much attention to a political appointment while saying so little about the security concerns affecting Kebbi residents?
This is not an argument against political recognition. It is an appeal for balance and responsible public communication.
Security is not a secondary issue to be set aside whenever there is a political achievement to celebrate. Without security, farming becomes dangerous, commerce suffers, education is disrupted and families struggle to survive.
For communities facing banditry, kidnapping and other threats, the immediate concern is not who has received a campaign appointment. It is whether they can sleep safely, travel freely, farm without fear and send their children to school.
Those realities should command the attention of anyone responsible for public enlightenment.
If Mr Jombali considers it important to explain the political significance of Governor Idris’s appointment, why should he not show the same commitment in communicating the security challenges facing Kebbi?
Why is the language of praise so detailed while the language of accountability is less visible?
These are legitimate questions, not attacks on the governor or his administration.
Public Enlightenment Must Serve the Public
The office of Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment and Orientation carries responsibilities beyond defending government decisions or promoting the image of a political principal.
Public enlightenment should inform citizens, explain policies, communicate verified developments, encourage responsible debate and ensure that public concerns receive attention. It should also help government understand public anxieties and respond with facts and practical measures.
When insecurity threatens communities, citizens deserve timely information about efforts to protect lives and property, the coordination of security agencies, support for affected communities and measures to prevent further attacks.
Even where operational details cannot be disclosed, government communicators can provide responsible updates without compromising security operations.
That is what effective public enlightenment requires.
The people of Kebbi deserve more than carefully crafted political narratives. They need information that acknowledges their fears, recognises their difficulties and explains what government is doing to protect them.
A government communication officer should not merely tell the public what government wants celebrated. He should also ensure that the issues citizens want addressed are not ignored.
Governance Must Come Before Political Advancement
Governor Nasir Idris has a responsibility to govern Kebbi State in the best interests of its people. His appointment as Director of Labour Relations of the APC Presidential Campaign Council may be politically significant, particularly because of his background in the teachers’ union.
Nevertheless, a campaign appointment and the duties of a sitting governor are different. One concerns political organisation; the other concerns the daily lives, security, welfare and development of citizens.
The governor’s national political responsibilities must not overshadow his obligations in Kebbi. His labour experience may strengthen his engagement with workers, but the true test of leadership is not the number of political positions a leader holds. It is the quality of life experienced by the people.
Are citizens adequately protected? Can farmers work without unreasonable fear? Are affected communities receiving support? Are security interventions being communicated transparently? Are vulnerable families being assisted?
These questions deserve serious answers.
It would be unfair to suggest that every security incident is entirely within a governor’s control. Security is a shared responsibility involving federal and state authorities, security agencies, intelligence institutions, local communities and other stakeholders.
But shared responsibility makes coordination, communication and accountability more important, not less.
The public deserves an honest assessment of the situation, a clear explanation of ongoing efforts and credible information about the way forward.
Praise Is Not a Substitute for Performance
Mr Jombali’s article emphasises Governor Idris’s experience, character and political suitability. Yet its extensive praise raises a broader question about the priorities of those shaping public narratives.
Is public enlightenment primarily about promoting government’s image, or about ensuring that citizens receive balanced information on matters affecting their lives?
If it is truly about enlightenment, then security, education, healthcare, employment, agriculture and poverty should receive serious attention alongside political developments.
The people of Kebbi are not spectators in the political activities of their leaders. Their livelihoods, taxes, hopes and security are tied to government performance. Their concerns cannot be pushed aside because a political figure has received an appointment.
This is not an accusation that Mr Jombali deliberately ignored any particular incident, nor a claim that he has never addressed insecurity. It is a criticism of the priorities reflected in the article under review.
Public enlightenment loses credibility when it appears selective. A credible communicator must be willing to discuss uncomfortable issues with the same seriousness used to celebrate political milestones.
Praise should never shield public officials from scrutiny. Political loyalty should not be confused with professional responsibility. Constructive criticism should not automatically be treated as hostility.
Kebbi Citizens Deserve Answers
Criticism of public communication should lead to constructive engagement, not personal attacks.
The purpose of this rejoinder is not to deny Mr Jombali’s right to express his views or to deny Governor Idris recognition for his professional background. It is to insist that the concerns of ordinary citizens deserve equal, if not greater, attention.
Relevant authorities should provide accurate information on the security situation in affected areas, explain measures being taken to protect communities, clarify support available to victims and communicate the progress and limitations of ongoing interventions.
Where operations are underway, the public should be informed responsibly. Where challenges persist, they should be acknowledged honestly. Where additional resources or federal coordination are required, those needs should be communicated through appropriate channels.
Such an approach would build public confidence and demonstrate that government communication serves the wider public interest.
The people of Kebbi do not expect every press release to focus on insecurity, nor should every political appointment become an occasion for criticism. What they deserve is balance, proportionality and a genuine commitment to issues affecting their daily lives.
The value of public enlightenment is not measured by the number of paragraphs devoted to praising a political principal, but by the extent to which communication informs, reassures and serves the public.
Labour Values Must Inform Governance
Governor Idris’s former leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers is an important part of his professional history. It may provide useful insight into workers’ concerns and the value of negotiation and dialogue.
But the principles associated with organised labour—solidarity, collective responsibility, listening and defending legitimate interests—should also guide public service.
Workers cannot fully enjoy their rights when insecurity threatens their livelihoods. Farmers cannot contribute effectively to the economy when they fear for their safety. Teachers cannot perform at their best when insecurity disrupts schooling. Traders cannot prosper when fear restricts movement and commerce.
Security is therefore inseparable from labour relations and economic development. It is a condition for both.
If Governor Idris is expected to use his labour experience to strengthen the APC’s relationship with Nigerian workers, the broader lesson should be the importance of listening to the people leaders claim to represent.
That includes the people of Kebbi, whose expectations of their governor extend beyond political appointments and campaign responsibilities.
The most meaningful recognition of leadership is not a prestigious title. It is the confidence citizens gain when their concerns are acknowledged, their rights respected and their welfare treated as a priority.
A Call for Balanced Communication
Mr Jombali has every right to defend, explain or celebrate Governor Idris’s political decisions. However, his position also gives him an opportunity to contribute to a more balanced public conversation.
He should use that platform to provide verified information about security concerns, explain the administration’s response and encourage constructive dialogue on the challenges facing Kebbi.
This would not diminish the governor’s political achievements. Rather, it would show that the administration understands the difference between political communication and the broader duty of public service.
An administration confident in its performance should not fear reasonable questions. It should welcome constructive criticism, respond with facts and demonstrate commitment through action.
The public gains little when government communication becomes a contest in praise and counter-praise. It benefits when communication bridges the gap between government and the governed.
That is the standard every public enlightenment official should pursue.
Conclusion
Governor Nasir Idris’s appointment as Director of Labour Relations of the APC Presidential Campaign Council may reasonably be presented as recognition of his background in organised labour. But no appointment, however prestigious, should overshadow the fundamental concerns of the people he was elected to serve.
The people of Kebbi deserve a government that prioritises their security, protects their livelihoods and communicates openly about the challenges they face. They deserve public advisers who can celebrate political milestones without losing sight of ordinary citizens’ realities.
The responsibility of public enlightenment is not merely to tell the story of those in power. It is also to ensure that the voices and concerns of the people are heard.
Let political appointments be celebrated where celebration is justified, and let genuine achievements be acknowledged where evidence supports them. But insecurity, public safety and citizens’ welfare must never be pushed aside by political praise.
Kebbi’s people need more than flattering headlines. They need security, honest information, responsive leadership and measurable progress.
The true measure of public service is not how eloquently one praises those in power, but how faithfully one helps ensure that the people are informed, protected and served.
By Hon. Dantani Ango Yalo Special Assistant to Distinguish Senator Garba Musa Maidoki Representing Kebbi South Senatorial District.
October 14, 2026
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper October 15th, 2026
