A prominent Northern politician and activist, Dr Usman Bugaje, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s democracy’s failure to improve people’s lives and welfare under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bugaje, a former member of the House of Representatives, said that democracy is supposed to serve the people, adding however, the situation is far from serving the citizens.
He noted that President Tinubu is surrounded by core sycophants that have kept him away from knowing and understanding the truth of happenings in the polity.
The former lawmaker particularly criticised the leadership style of Tinubu that has kept him so distant away from the people, stressing that if the President knows what Nigerians are facing, he would be ashamed of his administration.
Dr Bugaje, who stated these on Tuesday, when he featured in on Channels Television programme, noted that sycophantic experts surround the President and have succeeded in shielding him away completely from the true condition of ordinary Nigerians.
He further said; “I believe the president is surrounded by sycophants who don’t allow him to see reality or tell him the truth. If he knew what Nigerians are facing, he would be ashamed.
“The truth remains that Nigerians are beyond flowery speeches, but crave concrete actions and are concerned about actual steps – policies and governance structures that transform lives,” he said.
Bugaje, who spoke on rising prices of food stuff and other essentials as well as living costs, stressed that there is severe hardships, kidnappings, unemployment, and immeasurable struggles of small business owners, saying; “What kind of democracy is this?”
Bugaje stressed that any government that fails to address the welfare of citizens and security, loses its moral right to be called democratic.
In his words; “If democracy can’t provide livelihood, it loses legitimacy. I believe in democracy and the need for courageous leaders who stand by their convictions”.
