Afropop singer Patrick Okorie, better known as Patoranking, says he prays Nigerians won’t resort to violence to make the government reconsider the hike in electricity tariff.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently had approved the implementation of the cost-reflective electricity tariff for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

According to the new development, which commenced on September 1, Nigerians would be paying more for electricity.

But in a chat with HipTV, Patoranking described the electricity tariff hike as “bad”, citing the unemployment and economic hardship facing Nigerians.

“It’s a big problem, you know. We can’t get over these problems. It’s too much, speaking for the common man and the voiceless. The people up there don’t understand. They don’t get it,” he said.

“You know, they can’t. We pray we don’t use violence to make them understand that people are suffering. People are really suffering out there. I don’t need to think anything.

“What is bad is bad. People are suffering. It’s bad. No job; no work to do. No money in circulation and you’re increasing electricity tariff. Who does that? Who advises you?”

The singer’s comment comes after Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, had opposed the upward tariff review saying: “this increase is ill-timed and ill-advised.

“I reject the increased electricity tariffs. Coming out of the lockdown, Nigerians need a stimulus not an impetuous disregard for the challenges they face.

“Many Nigerians have not earned an income for months, due to no fault of theirs.”