Member, representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State, in the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, has blamed previous governments for the insecurity in the country.
Gagdi said they did not lay a solid foundation and provide basic needs of the people. He noted that their ills should be blamed for the rise and cause of insurgency in the country.
The Plateau lawmaker therefore urged the federal government to provide basic needs of the people, to arrest idolness.
Gagdi did not exonerate the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying they have no sound economic team in the first term, a development that led to decline in the nation’s economy.
Gagdi who stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, said there were no trained economists in the economic team of President Buhari and that added adverse problem to the Nigerian economy.
In his words, “If we had led a solidified foundation, done things that have direct bearing to the common man, provided basic social amenities like education, good hospitals, access to affordable system of education and what have you, definitely you will not see people running on the streets that’ll tomorrow turn out to be Boko Haram or elements in the society that they are not supposed to be.
“So government in the first instance did not address the primary thing that the people ought to have benefited. Government has failed in the past whether you like it or not, I will say that without fear of political misrepresentation that the foundation was very poor. The issues of people was not a priority of government.
“If the issue of people we govern before this time have been the central attraction of any government, I’m telling you that issue of insecurity would not have been to the levels it is. Yes, even the advanced countries like America that have better education system, health care facility and what have you, they have problem of insecurity. It is international phenomenon but it is not at the level that ours is been witnessed.
“Until, and unless there is honesty and commitment on the part of political office holders and stakeholders, irrespective of tribe, region and political affiliation, do not hope that issue of insecurity is going to be addressed in the nearest future,” he stated.
“How much was the crude oil price prior to the coming of APC government. How has the past government been able to access money as a reult of sale of crude oil at the emergence of the APC government. The crude oil was over $140 per barrel prior to the coming of the APC administration.”
