REJOINDER: KEBBI’S DEVELOPMENT GOES BEYOND POLITICAL PRAISE SINGING — GOVERNOR NASIR IDRIS MUST BE JUDGED BY SECURITY, JOB CREATION AND DELIVERED PROJECTS.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
November 4, 2026.
The recent statement credited to the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Local Government Chairmen Forum in Kebbi State, Hon. Bashir Yariman Mera, claiming that Governor Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris has transformed Kebbi State’s economy beyond what previous administrations achieved, deserves a more comprehensive examination.
There is no doubt that Governor Nasir Idris has embarked on several developmental projects since assuming office in May 2023. His administration has made interventions in road construction, education, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, electricity and other critical sectors.
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However, governance should not be assessed exclusively through political commendations, lengthy lists of projects or declarations of absolute support by party officials. The real test of leadership is the extent to which government policies improve the security, economic circumstances and general living conditions of ordinary citizens.
While appreciating whatever achievements the administration has recorded, it is important to remind Hon. Bashir Yariman Mera and other APC stakeholders that Kebbi State’s development agenda must also be measured against the realities confronting its people, particularly insecurity, unemployment, poverty and the rising cost of living.
One of the most pressing challenges confronting Kebbi State is insecurity, particularly banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities.
Although Governor Nasir Idris has demonstrated some commitment to supporting security agencies, the existence of persistent security challenges means that the administration cannot yet declare complete victory.
The people of Kebbi State deserve to live without fear.
Farmers should be able to visit their farms, traders should conduct their businesses without intimidation, and children should attend schools without the threat of attacks.
It is commendable that the governor has supported security agencies with operational vehicles and other logistics. The presentation of 13 armoured operational vehicles to the state by the Nigeria Police Force in December 2025, following the administration’s support for security operations, was a positive development.
Similarly, the governor approved the training and deployment of 3,000 vigilantes to complement conventional security agencies. In January 2026, he inspected 500 vigilantes and hunters undergoing refresher tactical training in Kalgo Local Government Area.
Nevertheless, the renewed attacks that prompted the governor to convene an emergency security meeting and order a review of security strategies in June 2026 demonstrate that the challenge remains significant.
The people therefore expect more decisive and sustainable action, including improved intelligence gathering, stronger border surveillance, adequate security personnel, effective community policing and prompt responses to distress calls.
The governor should also continue strengthening collaboration with the Federal Government, the military, the police, the Department of State Services and other relevant security institutions.
The ultimate achievement in security is not the number of meetings held or vehicles distributed, but the number of communities made safe, lives protected, kidnappings prevented and displaced residents successfully returned to their homes and farms.
Another important issue missing from the celebratory statement is the challenge of unemployment and underemployment among the teeming youths of Kebbi State.
Every year, universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other institutions graduate thousands of young people. Many of these graduates return home with certificates but without meaningful employment opportunities.
While the government has reportedly introduced skills acquisition programmes, financial grants and empowerment initiatives for women and youths, the question remains: How many beneficiaries have established sustainable businesses? How many unemployed graduates have secured permanent employment? How many young people have been recruited into the civil service and other public institutions?
Empowerment programmes are commendable, but they should not be presented as a complete solution to unemployment.
The state government needs a comprehensive employment strategy that encourages private-sector investment, supports small and medium-scale enterprises, promotes industrial development and creates opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers.
Kebbi has enormous agricultural potential. The state can generate thousands of jobs through modern rice milling, wheat processing, livestock production, food preservation, packaging, transportation and agricultural export businesses.
Rather than concentrating only on the distribution of grants and agricultural inputs, the government should establish an environment where private investors can build industries and employ Kebbi indigenes.
The proposed industrial projects, including the ethanol and sugar factory initiatives, should be pursued with clear implementation timelines, investment commitments and employment targets.
Young people do not need political promises alone. They need jobs, opportunities, business support and a government that provides an enabling environment for them to become economically independent.
Kebbi State remains one of Nigeria’s important agricultural states, particularly in rice production and other food crops.
The administration’s support for farmers through fertilisers, improved seedlings, tractors, pesticides and dry-season farming initiatives deserves recognition.
However, agricultural development should not end with distributing farm inputs.
The government must ensure that farmers have access to affordable financing, modern irrigation facilities, storage centres, processing factories, good rural roads and reliable markets for their produce.
The establishment of agricultural processing industries would reduce post-harvest losses, increase farmers’ income and provide employment opportunities for thousands of young people.
The government should also strengthen partnerships with the Federal Government, development institutions and private investors to expand the agricultural value chain.
There is no argument that road infrastructure is essential to economic development. The ongoing and completed road projects across Birnin Kebbi, Argungu, Yauri, Zuru and other local government areas deserve proper recognition.
The dualisation and rehabilitation of important roads, township road construction, drainage systems, bridges and erosion control projects are necessary interventions.
The completion of major road projects can reduce transportation costs, improve access to markets, attract investors and connect rural communities to essential services.
The government’s interventions in Badariya and Dukku Mallah against erosion, for instance, address genuine environmental and infrastructural challenges.
However, the government must ensure that contractors deliver quality work, projects are completed within stipulated periods and public funds are properly accounted for.
The commissioning of a road or the awarding of a contract should not be confused with the successful completion of a project.
Hon. Mera should therefore provide the people with a comprehensive account of completed projects, ongoing projects, their contract values, commencement dates and expected completion dates.
Public accountability should be regarded as an essential component of democratic governance, not an attack on the government.
As a former National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Governor Nasir Idris understands the importance of education.
His administration deserves commendation for its reported interventions in school construction, classroom renovation, teacher recruitment, educational materials and scholarships.
However, the government must go beyond physical structures.
Kebbi needs qualified teachers, functional laboratories, modern libraries, ICT facilities, adequate instructional materials and improved learning conditions.
The government should also address the welfare of teachers, ensure timely payment of entitlements and strengthen supervision in public schools.
The future of Kebbi State depends largely on the quality of education available to its children.
The renovation of hospitals, improvement of primary healthcare centres, provision of medical equipment and recruitment of healthcare personnel are important steps towards improving healthcare delivery.
The government should particularly prioritise maternal and child healthcare, emergency medical services, rural healthcare facilities and affordable treatment for vulnerable citizens.
It is not enough to construct hospitals. Such facilities must have qualified doctors, nurses, laboratory equipment, essential medicines, electricity and functional ambulances.
The people of Kebbi deserve accessible and affordable healthcare, regardless of their financial status or location.
The administration’s interventions in agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth development, electricity, water supply and social welfare should be acknowledged.
For example, the approval of N650 million for a 15MVA electricity transformer in January 2026, alongside reported monthly financial support to improve electricity distribution, demonstrates an effort by the state government to address the power challenges confronting residents.
Such interventions are important because electricity is essential for businesses, schools, hospitals and industrial development.
Nevertheless, the government should continue to ensure that these interventions translate into reliable electricity supply and improved living conditions.
The same principle should apply to financial grants and empowerment programmes. Beneficiaries should be properly identified, and the impact of the programmes should be monitored.
Hon. Bashir Yariman Mera has every right to commend Governor Nasir Idris and reaffirm the political loyalty of APC local government chairmen.
However, his position as Chairman of the APC Local Government Chairmen Forum should also encourage him to provide honest feedback about the challenges facing the 21 local government areas.
The responsibility of political leaders is not simply to praise the governor. They must also communicate the concerns of their constituents and ensure that the government remains responsive to the people’s needs.
The APC leadership should understand that constructive criticism is not opposition to government. Rather, it is an important instrument for improving governance and strengthening democratic accountability.
The people of Kebbi State are interested in tangible results, not political declarations.
Governor Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris has recorded some visible interventions in Kebbi State since assuming office. His efforts in infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare and security support should not be dismissed.
However, it would be premature to describe every sector as fully transformed while communities continue to face security threats, graduates struggle to find employment, businesses encounter economic difficulties and many rural residents still demand improved social services.
Three years in office provide an opportunity to assess progress, identify shortcomings and strengthen the administration’s development agenda.
The governor should be encouraged to consolidate his achievements, intensify the fight against insecurity, create sustainable employment opportunities, attract industries, strengthen public institutions and ensure that development reaches every community.
The people of Kebbi State do not expect perfection from their government, but they have every right to demand accountability, transparency, security and measurable progress.
Ultimately, the success of Governor Nasir Idris’s administration should not be determined by the number of political endorsements it receives, but by the lasting positive impact of its policies on the lives of the people.
A government that delivers development deserves commendation, but a government that listens to criticism and addresses the people’s challenges deserves even greater respect.
The people of Kebbi State deserve development, security, employment and accountable leadership — not political praise alone.
Hon. Dantani Ango Yalo Special Assistant to Distinguish Senator Garba Musa Maidoki Representing Kebbi South Senatorial District under ADC.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper November 5th, 2026
