President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has blamed opposition politicians for the hunger and poverty facing Nigerians, insisting that his administration is working to address the country’s economic challenges.
Tinubu made the statement on Saturday, October 24, 2026, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off rally at Ranchers Bees Stadium, also known as Kaduna Township Stadium, in Kaduna State.
The rally marked the formal commencement of the APC’s campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the ruling party began mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Speaking at the event, the President accused opposition politicians of creating the economic problems they now use to criticise his administration.
“I have an argument. I hear my opponent talking about hunger, poverty. Who created it? They did! They created the hunger, they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” Tinubu said.
However, the President’s remarks came amid concerns over the high levels of poverty and food insecurity across the country.
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), more than 133 million Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty, reflecting widespread difficulties in accessing basic necessities and essential services.
Food insecurity has also remained a major concern, with millions of households struggling to afford adequate food.
Figures from the Global Hunger Index showed that Nigeria recorded hunger scores of 29.2 in 2020, 28.3 in 2021 and 27.3 in 2022. The country was classified under the serious hunger category during those years.
The situation remained challenging in subsequent years. The World Food Programme projected that 31.5 million Nigerians would face acute food insecurity in 2024.
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Similarly, food-security assessments conducted under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) framework projected that approximately 33.1 million people would experience acute food insecurity during Nigeria’s 2025 lean season.
The IPC is an international framework used to assess and classify the severity of food insecurity and malnutrition.
Despite the concerns, Tinubu defended his administration’s performance, particularly regarding the payment of salaries and the activities of state governors.
The President praised APC governors for their contributions to development and commended them for what he described as their efforts to improve conditions in their respective states.
“We pay salaries regularly. Our governors are working. I am proud of them. They are developing,” he said.
Tinubu also expressed gratitude to residents of Kaduna State for supporting him during the 2023 presidential election, saying their votes contributed to his emergence as President.
“You gave me joy to remember the victory you gave me to become president. I come again to thank you,” he stated.
The President subsequently appealed to Nigerians to support his second-term ambition, promising to continue pursuing prosperity, continuity, progress and development.
He also addressed Nigerian children at the rally, referring to his administration’s commitment to the country’s future. However, the available transcript did not contain the complete statement.
The Kaduna rally was attended by APC members, supporters and political leaders as the party intensified preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu’s comments on hunger and poverty are likely to keep the country’s economic challenges in the spotlight as political parties begin making their cases to voters ahead of the next general elections.
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