A former lawmaker, and social critic, Shehu Sani, declared on Sunday that hard times awaited Nigerians in the New Year.
He said Nigerians would suffer more under the present administration in 2020 and beyond.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Senate, stated these while featuring in Kai kadai Gayya, a Hausa Language programme aired on a Kaduna- based Invicta FM Radio.
He said the current hardship in Nigeria would be a child’s play compared to what would happen in the future.
Sani said: “Nigerians are suffering because the people in government have asked them to persevere. But the truth of the matter is that, none of the leaders’ children are suffering, none of their wives are suffering.
“Their children school abroad, their wives go on holiday abroad. It is possible some of the distant relations are suffering because some people don’t take care of their relatives.
“So, it is disturbing to note that, some sections of the masses are deceiving themselves by thinking that, the leaders love them, and the leaders are also suffering like themselves.
“They are not suffering, their families are not suffering. But some masses are killing themselves because of leaders who don’t care for them.
“They should stop complaining to Nigerians that, they met Nigeria in bad shape. If things were in good shape in the first place, you won’t be called to come and rule. Whoever looks at history and see the time that, past leaders like Sardauna came into power, they did a lot.
“Sardauna established Ahmadu Bello University, he opened roads, he boosted agriculture, he boosted education and educated people.
“If you have not forgotten, the colonialists wanted to give Nigeria independence in 1957, but Sardauna said, no, the North was not ready, that they needed more time.
“The colonialists then gave three more years. Within that, three years he was able to do what positioned North in a state of independence, by educating people, in such a way that, Nigeria would not be given independence and North will now be left behind, because he knew what he was doing.
“But if you give this present government 50 more years to rule, this is how the masses will suffer for those 50 years. The masses are being deceived with promises.”
”The present leaders keep deceiving people that things are in a bad state and that the past governments were responsible.
“This government doesn’t have any other song than to blame the past government. The issue should be, what have you done since the assumption of office?”