Former Niger State lawmaker, Malik Madaki Bosso, representing Bosso constituency, has urged political leaders to show mercy to Nigerians who are grappling with hardship as the country marks 26 years of democracy.
Bosso in a statement to mark the Democracy Day, made available to Journalists in Minna, expressed worries that despite promises of “dividends of democracy,”; Nigerians have been left to struggling with poverty, lack, and want.
The lawmaker warned that when people lose hope, they may no longer appreciate the value of democracy.
According to him, while, wishing that democracy day be celebrated with pomp, such a wish cannot be achieved because there is nothing to be celebrated.
He said, ”;The people have taken their destinies into their hands after the removal of subsidies by providing for themselves security, electricity, water, education, healthcare and shelter, basic provisions that a responsible government should provide to its people.
“To prevent social disorder, my advice is that the current leadership should prioritize the welfare of citizens and implement policies that alleviate their suffering”;.
Bosso also noted that Nigeria may not be able to achieve its agenda for food security because of poor policy and incentives.
”; While prices of raw foods are crashing in the markets which are commendable, prices of agricultural inputs like fertilizers, agro chemicals, seeds and machinery are crazily going up out of the reach of farmers, ”; he observed.
The former Bosso representative further maintained that such a contradictory scenario portends grave danger for the country as many small holder farmers who produced most of the food will be unable to farm in this farming season.
He further stated, ”; insecurity is bedeviling local farming communities whose large chunks of land are presently in the hands of bandits and terrorists”;.
