Dare Babalola
Former Kano governorship candidate and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin, popularly known as Ibrahim Little, has claimed that Nigerians are experiencing negative change, not positive, under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
This was in reaction to Tinubu’s claim that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has fulfilled the promise of change it made to Nigerians ten years ago.
“You know, the word change can actually be positive or negative,” Little told Daily Post.
He continued, “If you ask Nigerians today, I mean ordinary Nigerians who have no relationship with the APC-led government or those in power, they will tell you the truth.
“People who do not get crumbs from the table of APC politicians, nobody in their right senses will agree with what our president said.
“He has only brought more misery to Nigerians. Whatever problem we had during Buhari’s tenure has actually worsened.”
In addition, the opposition politician slammed the APC-led government for what he described as its failure to connect with ordinary Nigerians, adding that governance should be more about action than rhetoric.
Little said, “Governance is 99% action and only about 1% talk.
“Unfortunately, what we see today is all talk and no real impact on people’s lives.”
He faulted Tinubu’s handling of insecurity, saying the President has failed in his primary constitutional duty to protect lives and property.
“Everyday, more people are being killed by Boko Haram, kidnappers, or bandits. It’s no longer a northern problem alone; it’s now a national tragedy.
“We have seen local governments and villages where the people now pay taxes to bandits instead of the government,” he said.
He reminded that the Nigerian Constitution clearly spells out the primary duties of the president, which are to secure the lives and property of citizens and to protect the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
According to him, both responsibilities have been neglected.
“The territorial integrity of Nigeria has suffered a great setback because parts of the country are effectively ruled by criminals.”
He further explained that the second major duty of the president is to ensure the welfare and well-being of citizens.
Little lamented that under Tinubu’s leadership, Nigerians have become poorer, with many struggling to afford basic needs.
He also criticised Tinubu for not visiting communities affected by attacks, saying the President seems more concerned about attending social events.
“Since his inauguration, he has never visited any area hit by Boko Haram or banditry. But he was in Kaduna for a senator’s wedding and in Plateau for a burial,” he added.
On the economy, Little said Nigerians are poorer than ever before, with hunger and unemployment on the rise.
“There’s so much poverty and hopelessness in the land. “Compare that with the few people in government who are busy looting the treasury. There’s no enabling environment for business. I’m an entrepreneur, and I had to lay off workers because the economy is so bad. Many small industries have shut down.”
He accused the government of introducing more taxes that only worsen the suffering of citizens.
“Whatever way you look at this presidency, it is filled with hardship. Yes, there’s change; but it’s a negative change.”
Little also dismissed claims of social intervention and empowerment programmes by the federal government, describing them as “scams.”
“When they say they have empowered thousands of people, who are those beneficiaries?” he asked.
“If they come to Kano and claim to have employed 100,000 people, where are they? Maybe you’ll find 500 or 1,000. The rest are scams. Ninety percent of these so-called beneficiaries are linked to private projects.”
He made similar criticisms of the student loan scheme.
“There are programmes that are good on paper, but what about implementation? How many students have actually benefited from the loan? Very few. Everything looks good on paper, but in reality, nothing works.”
Concluding, Ibrahim Little said President Tinubu’s claim of fulfilling APC’s change promise is far from the truth.
“Anybody can say whatever they want; it’s a democracy. But Nigerians know what they’re passing through. The change we were promised has only brought pain, hunger, and insecurity.”
