EDITORIAL: How To Derail A Process

A few weeks ago, this newspaper in an editorial, farsightedly advocated the institutionalisation of transition laws in Nigeria, as is the case in the United States, Mexico, Ghana, Republic of South Africa and a host of other countries. Transition laws as we pointed, are a needed brake on fiscal irresponsibility as one administration hands over the baton to another. 

It gives us no great pleasure to say that we have been vindicated. The consequences of the current lack of fiscal restraint by the outgoing government of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola will leave deep scars for a long time to come.

Our lead story on the cover page has shown in detail the reckless employment drive of the outgoing administration. None of the recruitment binge was budgeted and is clearly not located in any recognised medium term economic framework. It is pure vendetta. Having been repudiated by the electorate, the Oyetola administration now in a show of vendetta against the right of the electorate to express their democratic right, is on a fiscal recklessness of irresponsible magnitude. The electorate have certainly been proved right for denying a mandate. 

This binge affronts any known framework of manpower planning, recruitment or a rational budget process. There is no evidence of any projection just a childlike self-serving attempt to ensure that any succeeding government fails from day one. The attitude based on narcissism confirms a fundamental character defect.

The ongoing charade is not in the interest of the people of the state and they must demand that it should be halted. It also portrays the state legislature as nothing more than a rubber stamp. The verdict of history on this ineffective apology for a legislature will be harsh. The electorate should have this in mind in making a choice in the next legislative election. 

In view of the ongoing show of shame, we again restate our case for the passage of transition laws. The imperative for so doing is now beyond even unreasonable doubt.