I Won’t Steal To Please You – Niger State House Of Reps Member Tells Constituents

He emphasized that while he is committed to serving his constituents, he will not engage in corrupt practices to fund projects.

Speaking to PDP stakeholders in Mokwa Local Government Area on Tuesday, April 1, Gana stated, “I am not God and cannot answer all the prayers and expectations of the people.”

He assured his constituents that he would continue to work diligently within the resources available to him, focusing on sustainable development and transparent governance.

Gana made this statement in response to complaints from several PDP stakeholders, including the local government chairman, Suleiman Kupanti, who expressed dissatisfaction with his performance.

A visibly frustrated Gana explained that some of the demands from his constituents fell outside his responsibilities as a federal lawmaker, emphasizing that different tiers of government have distinct roles. However, he assured them that he would channel their concerns to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.

“I thank God that I am not God. I cannot answer all your prayers. It is only God who will answer all your prayers because the complaints of the people are prayers to God. When you want to score anyone, you will need to understand public office. The money in public office is not my father’s money; it is not my personal money; it is government money.

They know me, I be old soldier, I no dey fear anything for this life. I am not afraid of anything except God. If you want to score me, go and check the national budget, check the items that fall under Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency and the allocation. Go and check if the projects were 100 per cent funded, then you can come and ask me about it and that is when you can score me.

But now, when no money has been provided by the federal government, you want me to go and steal? My father is not a thief, none of my family is a thief, and you people will not make me a thief. Whether you try from heaven to earth, I cannot go and steal for what is not provided.”

Gana added that as a member of the opposition, he may not have received funds for constituency projects, which could be limiting his ability to meet certain expectations.

“The party in rulership today is APC and I am in the opposition.  When you make a comparison of now to what has happened before, it is different. When you compare one legislator in an APC-ruled government to when PDP was in power, then you are a bad examiner” he said

The lawmaker’s remarks were met with strong disapproval from his constituents, who urged him to focus on delivering tangible results rather than making excuses. They emphasized that they would not tolerate incompetence and expected him to fulfill his duties effectively.

“This is not a politician. There is no wisdom in his speech. This one is just blowing grammar, is this how to respond to people as a politician? You are our representative and we’ll continue to scorn you. If you can’t continue leave since you are lamenting about not being given money for projects in your constituency. Respect is not bought is earned your human relation tells more about you.” a resident said