Wrong to trivialize the plight of the poor — Pat Utomi

Let the poor breathe shouldn’t be treated as a joke, Pat Utomi blasts Godswill Akpabio and the Nigerian Senate.

Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio comes under heavy fire from former presidential aspirant, Pat Utomi for his recent statement during a plenary session with Nigerian Senators.

In a tweet, the political economist blast Akpabio for his jest of the Nigerian masses amid the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

During the recent plenary session at the red chamber, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, along with other lawmakers, were seen taking humor in the current plight facing the Nigerian population following the hike in fuel pump price and the dwindling economy of the Nigerian state.

The session taken into triviality raised concerns over the insensitivity of Nigeria’s political leaders towards the plight of the poor.

In a tweet posted on July 28, 2023, Prof. Utomi expressed his distress over the incident, writing;

“I am traumatized by this mocking of the poor by our Senate. In a decent society we should have had resignations by now. To mock the poor is to mock God. I know where Godswill Akpabio was before Obong Victor Attah gave a hand. Better an honest poor than a rich thief politician,”

“I wonder what it will take to make people realize that values shape human progress. Sustainable progress is not possible where culture is in collapse and institutions are dysfunctional. Sadly this seems extant reality in Nigeria. Citizens need to be awakened to where we are,”

“To abuse public trust and mock the victims as is becoming habit of the criminal network of our politicians is to forget how transient power is. All will do well to remember the Judgment of Conscience, the judgment of history, and the Judgement of God. He reigns.”

Prof. Pat Utomi raises some serious narratives that undermines the Bola Tinubu led government whose promise of a ‘renewed hope’ seems to be on the move to dash whatever hope is left of Nigerians.