Ali Abare, Abuja
A senatorial candidate under the Labour Party (LP) during the just-concluded general elections, Barr. Innocent Lagi, has warned Nigerians to expect less from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari since, according to him, they (Nigerians) have voted for insecurity and poverty.
Barr. Lagi gave the warning in an exclusive chat with The Nigerian Xpress, in Abuja, on Tuesday, amidst growing concerns over rising cases of banditry and kidnapping, particularly in the North West.
This was even as queues have returned to filling stations across some major towns, following alleged plot by the Federal Government to remove subsidies.
“It’s more about the people than the government. This is what the people wanted. I don’t think they voted for security, I don’t think they voted for prosperity.
Lagi, a former Attorney-General of Nasarawa State, contested for the Nasarawa North senatorial seat under the LP but lost out to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), senator-elect, Godiya Akwashiki.
He said it was difficult to tell the government to give what the people do not want, stressing that unless the people understands that governance is about them, not a love for an individual, a political party or a religion or tribe, Nigeria would continue to on the same destructive path.
“Look at what is happening in Ghana, Ghana is opening up for business. Ghana is prospering. Nigeria is getting more chaotic and confused.
“You can’t move now on the roads, you have the military, the police, VIO, Road Safety, in your own country. We serve our governments instead of our governments serving us.
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“And we love it. If we had wanted any change besides the ones President Buhari promised in terms of fighting corruption and the rest of it, we should have seen it in his first tenure.
“People look at corruption as stealing of public funds only. It’s really not that. It’s what the VIO does, it’s what the Road Safety does, it’s what the police does on the highway, it’s about disrespect for citizens, extortion of citizens,” Lagi stated.
The legal practitioner further lamented that Nigerians have been exploited for ages and oppressed by various governments.
“Democracy is about governance by the majority. If we close our eyes to things that are happening and still voted for this government, I think we should be patient and see how far it takes us.
“Probably when it gets so bad, we may like ourselves more than we like our leaders,” he added.
On the return of cues at filling stations across the country, Lagi said it is to be expected as according to him, “the monies politicians were spending during the last election was hypocritical.
“Nothing has changed. Politicians gave us money and now they are taking it back in millionth fold.”
He noted that by taking money from politicians in exchange for vote, “Nigerians have mortgaged their security and prosperity.”