Random Notes

The Issue:
• The issue will run its course and will keep mutating its nature, preferably away from the State to the national scene. However, you should, as soon as possible, be seen to be moving on and getting on with the real business of governing Anambra State, which is your mandate. Like your predecessor, you will not be judged by your response to the issue but by your management of the affairs of the State.

• But that is not to abandon the issue or pretend that it is over. It is a matter of the balance of focus; a matter of not being distracted unduly from the governance of the State.
The Way Forward:
• You must be seen to take charge and to be piloting the ship of the State, politically and administratively. You should consult and seek advice widely but, in the end, the buck should be seen to stop with you. If something goes wrong, as it is bound to happen from time to time, have the courage to take responsibility even at the risk of protecting your staff. It is human to err and you will earn much respect for taking responsibility.
• Make decisions, make decisions, make decisions. If you are faithful to your mandate, your good decisions will far outweigh the bad ones. You will be remembered by your good decisions and actions, not the bad ones. Only the far-sighted decisions will survive the test of the ever-changing times that prevail.
• The media is crucial and should be actively managed. Avoid being on the defensive. As the public figure, you should be in the driving seat and able to choose when to get exposure and when not to, when to make news and when not to. It is important to avoid over- or under-exposure in the media. It is important to build relationship and trust (on a first name basis) with top media executives – Emeka Izeze,
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Nduka Obaigbana, Emma Agu, Sam Amuka, etc – such that even
when something goes wrong, you can get the benefit of the doubt. If
they believe you are doing your best, they can be helpful.
• The sordid politics of the past four years has driven Anambra
intelligensia into silence and (?)stupor. But we all share responsibility
for what is happening and must come out stoutly to reverse the
situation. As Executive Governor, it is your duty to reach out to our
leaders of thought across the age range, from the Ekwuemes and
Anyaokus to the young rising stars, and from your fiercest supporters
to your most bitter opponents. Share your strategy and programme
with them and convince them that you mean business.
• Your opponents will be further isolated in the eyes of the public if you
are seen to be reaching out to create an inclusive society in the State,
rather than a splintered one.
• Pay particular attention to the professional class, who most probably
are your nearest and dearest stakeholder group. You were/are one of
them. There is much tendency towards lethargy within this group but
this is the time for all to stand up and be counted. Their influence is
often much underrated.
• Notwithstanding the level of temptation, always focus on the issues,
not on personalities. Issues, issues, issues.
• As Chief Executive, you cannot directly lead all initiatives, but must
effectively coordinate the effort of your team and take responsibility
for all major issues. Avoid being caged in or ideas/suggestions being
fenced out by a small cabal. Expose yourself to a wide range of
sources but be selective of the ideas you may pursue.
• You would need a broad-based team to spearhead a whole range of
initiatives with a wide range of stakeholder groups such as:
o Abuja Liaison (Politics; All Arms of Government, etc)
o Leaders of Thought; Intelligentia; Professionals
o Traditional Rulers
o Businessmen; Traders
o Church and Religious Leaders
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o Town Unions; Civic Groups; NGOs; Trade Unions; Clubs;
Societies; etc
o Media
o Public Service
o Etc, etc, etc.
• Your working day must be well proportioned and managed to avoid a
shotgun/random style of management. A good Chief of Staff will
ensure a smooth and disciplined management of the office of His
Excellency. Drive the issues, rather than let the issues drive you. Lay
down your style and routine firmly and everyone will adjust to it.
• You will need a strategy team and a tactical team – the thinkers and
the doers. The strategy tem should be well tuned to your vision such
that they can, with broad steer from you, often work independently,
say in Lagos or Abuja, to steadily generate and articulate ideas for
your consideration. The tactical team should be close to you on the
ground (your commissioners/advisers/assistants?) for day-to-day
initiatives and programme implimentation.
• Cultivate the civil service – you have been one of them and know
their strengths and weaknesses. If motivated, they can be invaluable
asset. Otherwise, you may have to resort to building a parallel
organization, with attendant costs and conflicts.
• Similarly, cultivate the State Assembly. They may be inexperienced
and immature, but you do not need another crisis on that front.
• Choose a suitable occasion in the near future to make the speech of
your life: a “ State of the Union” type of address to re-launch you as
the politician/leader of the future. Whilst touching on recent
experiences in the State, the speech, in the main, should be futuristic,
visionary, but also realistic and plausible. Independence Anniversary
(01 October) is an opportunity but work must start immediately to
evolve the strategic issues, work out the structure of the address and
articulate the speech.
• Since you have fought the issue on the basis of transparency, antigraft
and anti-corruption, the public will hold you to those standards.
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You thus cannot afford to fail and get away with it. But a reasonable
success on “delivering on your promises” and not promising what is
unachievable will restore some trust in, and set a new standard for,
political leadership in the country. In effect, you are on the threshold
of history, not only in Anambra state, but also in the entire country
and even beyond. Agree a compact of a modest, sensible programme
with your stakeholders (your electorate) and be seen to implement it
with vigour and transparency.
• Take a hard look at the Council of Traditional Rulers. Even with our
limitations in Anambra State, traditional rulers can be a force for good
and a bastion for non-partisan advice and support for the incumbent
government if they are properly organized and motivated. On their
part, the traditional rulers will need to meet the challenges of their
position. It is do-able.
• The greater Onitsha metropolis (including Nkpor, Obosi, Ogidi, and
eventually merging with the Nnewi metropolis) is key to the
transformation of the State. The area should be given urgent attention
in terms of its potential to uplift the State, and the necessary
investments to realize such potentials. The strength of the area, and
indeed the entire State, is commerce and industries. Being inland,
infrastructure is key to the realization of our potential in a highly
competitive world – road and air transport, electricity, water supply,
telecommunications, well- located international markets, industrial
and business parks, housing layouts, etc. Responsibility lies between
the Federal and State Governments. However, it is also the role of the
State leadership to lobby for federal presence in our area, like the
freeports of Calabar and Onne.
The Cautions:
• The Opponents within your Party: They are not yet done. They have
three options all of which demand constant vigilance. The issue
should be portrayed as a struggle between the forces of good and
those of evil. In any case, do not play the “game” according to their
own rules; change the game and make others play to your own rules.
Their options:
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o Dig in now and fight to the finish – This would be running
against public opinion that will not let go on the pressure for a
judicial solution to the issue.
o Retreat now to fight again later – Taking cover under the
political solution, which calls for eternal vigilance.
o Cut their losses, take the money and run – Sensible relief for all
parties.
• Other Political Parties: Again, change the game. Do not engage them
in head-on fight in the public since that is exactly what they are
seeking in order to gain attention.
o Public Position: INEC conducts elections, not a political party
with interest in the election outcomes. These parties are
exercising their constitutional rights at the election tribunals,
which should be allowed to do their work. They should stop
conducting another “tribunal” on the pages of the newspapers.
o Private Position: Anambra has had enough. We must move on
and pull ourselves together and cut our losses. Any departure
from the status quo will plunge the State into more anarchy.
Vendetta should be abandoned. The response to the current
events shows that Igbos are not particularly loved/respected
with the Nigerian polity. Your programmes are not un-similar
to what the other parties propose. (Message to be delivered
through respected leaders of thought)
• Abuja and the Rest of the Country: Do not appear to be “holier than
thou” towards your colleagues in the party and governments
elsewhere in the country. You are plainly a humble Governor, who
inherited loads of problems and doing your best to solve them
without bluffs or pomposity. If your achievements are trumpeted,
there will be obvious backlashes. Let actions speak the volumes.
Nevertheless, ensure that Abuja is carried along in your actions and
programmes.
Best of Luck:
• You need it and so do the State and the people of Anambra State.