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arring any surprises, president-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo will relinquish his post as Jakarta governor as soon as the Constitutional Court upholds his victory in the July 9 election later this month. According to law, his deputy Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama will take over as governor for the rest of his term, which ends in October 2017.

Many, including perhaps Ahok himself, would not have imagined such drastic changes happening in Indonesian politics that would catapult Ahok to the status of person number 1 in Jakarta.

To some extent Ahok has done what it takes to prove he fits the governor'€™s post. As an acting governor, when Jokowi took leave to focus on his bid for the presidency between June 1 and July 22, Ahok showed Jakarta'€™s people that he was the boss '€” in his own manner, of course.

Even after Jokowi returned to his office on July 23, Ahok has remained the de facto governor since Jokowi is busy preparing his new administration.

As opposed to Jokowi, who resorts to persuasion, Ahok had the hardness of heart to order the demolition of makeshift roadside kiosks and houses in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, one day after Idul Fitri on Wednesday. The raid went unchallenged since the illegal traders and squatters were away for the Islamic holiday.

Known for his candid and extroverted personality, Ahok dismissed Syafei, head of the vehicle roadworthiness test center in Kedaung Angke, North Jakarta, after finding during an inspection last week that the center'€™s employees collected illegal levies. The test fee had been inflated from Rp 87,000 (US$7.50) to Rp 400,000 to enable vehicle owners to avoid examinations, since most of the test equipment did not work because of poor maintenance.

Previously, Ahok had expressed dissatisfaction and disappointment with the performance of the city'€™s bureaucracy. He reprimanded and replaced most of the agency heads in the city, who he said worked slowly and could not be trusted.

At that time, as the acting governor, Ahok said Public Works Agency head Manggas Rudi Siahaan performed the worst for failing to immediately fix the numerous potholes dotting the city'€™s roads even though many accidents had happened because of them. Ahok also publicly expressed his unhappiness with the performance of Jakarta Financial Management Board (BPKD) head Endang Widjajanti, who he said had turned the body into '€œa mess'€.

Sooner or later, however, Jakarta has to adapt to Ahok'€™s leadership style, as he surely intends to improve public services and human welfare.

Ahok is definitely ready to take over the top job, as is evident in the priority he has given to several programs he has drafted and will implement when the time comes. He envisions better transportation infrastructure, flood control, public housing and education for all.

But to govern effectively Ahok will need a deputy who can complement him. This is perhaps the stiffest challenge he faces.