Senator representing Kebbi South, Garba Maidoki, has warned President Bola Tinubu that growing hardship and public dissatisfaction could threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability if urgent steps are not taken to address what he described as serious governance imbalances.
Maidoki gave the warning during an interview segment, where he urged the President to listen to Nigerians, address concerns over budget implementation and account for the country’s increasing borrowing.
He said Nigerians were suffering and complaining, arguing that the President needed to be properly informed about the situation in the country rather than rely on assurances that all was well.
“If anybody is telling President Tinubu—I have utmost respect for him as a nationalist and as a gentleman—that all is well, it’s lies,” Maidoki said.
The senator expressed particular concern over what he described as inadequate implementation of the national budget, questioning how the country could effectively run without properly executing approved spending plans.
“Three years since Tinubu’s government. Three years—2024, 2025, and now 2026—the budget has not been implemented,” he said, while also questioning what he termed “selective financing of projects.”
Maidoki further challenged the government to explain how borrowed funds were being utilised, particularly as revenue-generating agencies had reportedly exceeded their targets.
“We have borrowed, and borrowed, and borrowed. Where is the money we are borrowing?” he asked. “All the revenue-generating agencies in this country told us they have exceeded their target. Where is the money going?”
He said his criticism of the government was driven by his responsibility to his constituents and not by a personal dispute with the Kebbi State governor, recalling that he had raised concerns over bandit attacks in the state.
“My people that sent me here asked me to cry, and I cried,” Maidoki said, insisting that his interventions were aimed at drawing attention to the plight of his constituents.
He urged Tinubu to act on constructive criticism, warning that continued failure to address the concerns of Nigerians could have serious consequences. “The earlier he makes effort to correct these imbalances, particularly on implementation of budget, the earlier for him. Otherwise, Wallahi, he will live to regret this,” he said.
Maidoki said Nigerians expected the government to provide relief from the difficulties confronting them, urging the President to “listen, and hear the voices of Nigeria and bring succour.”
He added that lawmakers would continue to offer advice to the administration, but expressed concern that sustained public frustration could eventually threaten democratic stability.
“At least up to now that this democracy has not been truncated. But we are afraid that if it continues this way, it’s not the military that will truncate…” Maidoki said.
