Nigerians Are Angry As Politicians Have Failed Them, Says Lagos Legislator, Femi Saheed

By Frank Oshanugor

The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and member representing Kosofe Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Femi Saheed has reminded politicians at various levels in the country that the masses are currently not happy because political leaders have not been able to deliver democracy dividends that could take care of their needs.

Speaking with representatives of the Owode-Ajegunle community in his office on Wednesday at Alausa Ikeja, Saheed remarked that people were angry with the political class and there was the need for politicians to do more in providing what the citizenry who voted them into power need.

According to him, “it is useless for any political office holder to sit in the comfort of his office, enjoying the glory of such office without attending to the needs of the people who voted for him to positively impact on their lives.” He felt bad that government at different levels have not been able to provide the basic infrastructure needed to improve the lives of the citizenry. “For almost 25 years of democracy, Nigerian politicians have not been able to fix the problems people are facing” he decried.

While commending the six-member delegates who had come to seek for his cooperation in fixing their road, supply of portable water and other things in their area, the lawmaker said he would be the happiest person if developmental projects were brought to his constituency speedily. Giving details of his modest achievements in the past three years he has been in the House, following the death of the former legislator representing the constituency, Saheed declared that several parts of his constituency were yet to attain the level of development he envisaged.

He however, promised that apart from the ongoing projects like the construction of Badejo-Owulade Road, he was determined to ensure that more roads and solar powered water supply projects would soon become a reality as the increasing population of the area has made it inevitable for government to give it attention. To this extent, he solicited the cooperation of residents in the area to always put some pressure on him because in his words “I am voted to work for you and I want to ensure that things work perfectly well in my time by God’s grace.”

Earlier in his speech, leader of the delegation Mr. Paul Obuh, a retired banker and Chairman (CDA Forum) told the lawmaker that they were in his office to commend him for showing concern and commitment towards providing infrastructure in the area and also to remind him the urgency of completing the ongoing road construction on Badejo-Owulade Road in addition to supply of portable water.

The legislator assured that even though the Badejo-Owulade Road project was being financed by Kosofe Local Government Area, the state government as the supervisory authority was doing everything to ensure that the project was completed in good time even as he promised that additional road construction project would be considered for the area in the next year budget.

He emphasized that his tenure would ensure that significant impact was made on road project and water supply in the area as he believed in practical achievements and not empty promises like some politicians were known for. He explained that the idea of constructing a solar-powered water project in the area was considered, given the fact that bringing water supply from Ketu area was not feasible in present time due to huge cost associated with it.

Apart from Mr. Paul Obuh, other members of the delegation to Hon. Femi Saheed included Prof. (Rev) Basil Okoro – Parish Priest of Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Owode Ajegunle, Ismaila Adewole, Abeakuta/Abayomi CDA Chairman, Femi Akinyemi, Laniyan Phase II CDA Chaiman, Alhaji A. Adekunle, Unity CDA Chairman and Mr. Frank Oshanugor, a resident and journalist.