A former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola has addressed the deteriorating conditions faced by Nigerians under the current administration.
He lamented that the situation has progressively worsened over the last couple of months.
He noted that while there is some prosperity in Nigeria, it is increasingly concentrated among a smaller percentage of the population.
Aregbesola reflected on his own experiences, recalling that during his childhood, wealth was more widely distributed and not as limited to a selected few people.
This shift, he argued, signifies a deepening problem within the country. He emphasized the need for urgent action, insisting that the current state of affairs is not normal as he expressed his deep concern for the future of Nigeria.
He said in a live coverage by Symfoni, ‘We have seen a worsening economic, even political and spiritual condition of Nigerians. And you don’t need to be a scientist to know that things are progressively getting bad. Only a smaller percentage of Nigerians are now prosperous; there is prosperity, but it’s reducing.
“When I was born, wealth was not as limited to a few Nigerians as it is today. And what does that signify? It tells us that we are in deep problem. If things were normal in Nigeria, we know – and everybody knows – that things are not normal. And in addressing it, I’m so much concerned.”
Mr Aregbesola, a former political ally of President Bola Tinubu, made this statement on Monday during a panel session at a national dialogue on the Parliamentary Bill, organised by the Parliamentary System Support Group in the House of Representatives in Abuja.
The session featured Mr Aregbesola, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, youth advocate Chimdi Neliaku, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Edoba Omoregie.
It was moderated by Nnenna Ekeji, a former member of the lower chamber.
The group is advocating for Nigeria’s return to a parliamentary system. In February, 60 lawmakers sponsored a bill in the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to facilitate the transition to the system.
Mr Aregbesola stated that Nigeria is declining daily. He cited rising inequality between the few wealthy and the majority poor. He said the worsening economic situation and lack of guaranteed rights make revolution an acceptable option for many.
