“It’s not military that will truncate democracy, it’s ordinary people on the street” — Senator warns

A senator from Kebbi State has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over insecurity, budget implementation and the state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the country risks deeper instability if urgent action is not taken.

The lawmaker made the remarks in a viral interview on AIT, where he said he had been unfairly accused of fighting the Kebbi State government after speaking out about the security challenges facing his constituents.

According to him, his decision to raise the alarm on bandit attacks was solely in response to the cries of the people who elected him.

“My people that sent me here asked me to cry. And I cried.”

The senator said bandits had continued to terrorise communities in Kebbi State and insisted that his public comments were aimed at drawing national attention to the plight of residents.

He denied having any personal disagreement with the state governor, stressing that his priority remained the safety and wellbeing of his constituents.

The lawmaker said his criticism was motivated by the suffering of ordinary citizens rather than political differences.

The senator also accused the Federal Government of failing to implement national budgets over the last three years.

He claimed that despite successive budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026, implementation had been poor, raising questions about government spending and borrowing.

“Three years since Tinubu’s government, the budget has not been implemented. He has never implemented a budget.”

He further questioned the destination of borrowed funds and revenues generated by government agencies.

“All the revenue generating agencies in this country told us they have exceeded their target. Where is the money going?”

While expressing respect for President Tinubu, the senator said those telling the President that all was well in the country were misleading him.

He urged the President to address what he described as economic and governance imbalances before it became too late.

“Nigerians are suffering. Nigerians are complaining.”

The lawmaker added that he and other concerned citizens would continue to offer advice to the President, though accepting such advice remained the President’s prerogative.

“The fate of democracy in Nigeria is at a very, very comatose stage.”

He warned that if the trend continued, ordinary Nigerians, rather than the military, could eventually become the greatest threat to the country’s democratic system.

The senator revealed that he was originally elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said the collapse and internal crisis within the PDP left him and others with little choice but to seek political alternatives.

However, he said he eventually felt betrayed by the APC’s internal processes and has now joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

According to him, the ADC candidate willingly surrendered his ticket to him after believing that he had been unfairly denied an opportunity elsewhere.

“I am with my people. I am with the grassroots.”

The lawmaker cited a recent by-election in Kebbi State, claiming that only about 4,000 people voted out of approximately 80,000 registered voters in his constituency.

He argued that low voter turnout reflected widespread public dissatisfaction with the political system.

The senator also accused political elites in Birnin Kebbi of attempting to determine candidates for local positions in other parts of the state, a situation he said his supporters had rejected from the outset.

Despite his concerns, he expressed optimism that the electorate would make its feelings known at future elections.

“If it continues this way, it’s not the military that will truncate democracy, it’s the ordinary people on the street.”

Watch the video here…

Senator warns that ordinary Nigerians, not military will truncate democracy pic.twitter.com/eiPzdH2vgS

— Africa Independent Television (@AIT_Online) June 24, 2026