PDP rejects Tinubu's blame on opposition for Nigeria's hunger and poverty

President Bola Tinubu blamed opposition politicians for Nigeria’s widespread hunger and poverty during an All Progressives Congress campaign flag-off in Kaduna, drawing sharp rebuttals from political rivals and legal figures who accused the ruling administration of evading responsibility for economic hardship.

World Bank projections estimating that 63 per cent of Nigerians would live below the national poverty line in 2026 stand against the backdrop of the political clash that erupted over the weekend following the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign flag-off at the Kaduna Township Stadium. Speaking to supporters, President Tinubu defended his record while turning the blame back on his predecessors and political opponents.

I have heard the opposition talking about hunger and poverty. Who created them? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it.

President Tinubu, via Premium Times

That assertion immediately drew fierce pushback from opposition parties and civil figures, who argued that the ruling party could no longer point fingers after more than a decade in power.

STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASEPRESIDENT TINUBU INAUGURATES 81KM ABUJA-KADUNA HIGHWAY AT CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF, SAYS THE OPPONENTS CREATED POVERTYPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday in Kaduna at the flag-off of his presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections, took a swipe… pic.twitter.com/B3uaKF9PWP

— https://x.com/aonanuga1956/status/2114136194183516632

Atiku Abubakar and ADC Challenge APC Record

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, slammed the president’s remarks as either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia in a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication for the ADC presidential campaign council.

The ADC campaign pointed out that the ruling party has governed Nigeria for eight years under former President Muhammadu Buhari, followed by another three and a half years under the current administration (TheCable). Atiku challenged the government over the tangible impacts of its economic reforms, noting the sharp depreciation of the local currency and the removal of the petrol subsidy.

TINUBU MUST EXPLAIN LUXURY SUV GIFTS TO APC YOUTHS WHILE NIGERIANS GO HUNGRY — ATIKU. Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of presiding over a grotesque spectacle of executive excess: the… pic.twitter.com/yF4VOGZwBC

— https://x.com/atiku/status/2114672039017533908

Atiku Abubakar questioned which administration removed the petrol subsidy and implemented exchange-rate reforms that led to the naira’s depreciation.

The opposition camp cited the World Bank figures alongside questions regarding pipeline-related spending and public expenditures recorded under energy security.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of shifting responsibility for Nigeria’s economic hardship to the opposition, insisting that the administration must account for its record ahead of the 2027 presidential election.Atiku, the presidential… pic.twitter.com/ZM7ebZsYQA

— https://x.com/channelstv/status/2114069127216476463

In addition, Atiku raised doubts regarding government outlays and fiscal management, drawing attention to the rollover of the 2024 fiscal plan into the following year, the execution of an independent 2025 financial blueprint, and expenditures logged under energy protection.

PDP Answers and Legal Criticism Arise

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party issued a joint pushback through its national publicity secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, rejecting any attempt to use the PDP’s 16 years in office as a blanket shield for current difficulties. The opposition party argued that every administration must be judged by the living conditions of the people it governs rather than endless political arguments.

PDP rejects Tinubu's blame on opposition for Nigeria's hunger and poverty — Photo: Punch Newspapers

The PDP considers these statements as attempts to evade responsibility and divert public attention from the pressing challenges facing the country under the APC-led administration.

Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, PDP National Publicity Secretary, via Daily Trust

The platform maintained that the governing association should showcase its accomplishments and present clear strategies for tackling the nation's financial and security difficulties. It asserted that the rising inclination toward a restoration of PDP governance demonstrated that citizens were longing for enhanced administration, superior living standards, alongside a safer and wealthier nation.

Outside partisan politics, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Jibrin Okutepa added his voice to the criticism, asserting that hunger has no party affiliation and that ordinary families gain no relief from hearing political adversaries blamed for daily struggles, Thefact reported. Okutepa emphasized that those exercising public power control resources and must account directly for their stewardship.

Q: Mr President had some strong words for the opposition in Kaduna over the weekend [saying the opposition created hunger and poverty]….. Why have you and those in the opposition created this hunger?A: Is he [Tinubu] saying that the hunger started in the last three years?… pic.twitter.com/bFaUljievO

— https://x.com/channelstv/status/2114624083077870062

APC Defends Record, Unveils 90-Day Plan

Defending the administration’s position, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka argued that the roots of extreme poverty were planted long before the current government took office in May 2023 (Head Topics). Morka maintained that economic transformation requires patience, citing the developmental timelines of economies like China, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The political sparring coincides with federal efforts to introduce fresh cost-of-living measures. On October 22, the National Economic Council endorsed a 90-day economic action plan presented by Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele, The News Nigeria reported. The package—marking the sixth wave of relief since the 2023 fuel subsidy removal—focuses on food affordability, tax harmonization, high-impact project completion, investment bottlenecks, and regulated household support.

ARISE TV ERUPTS AS TINUBU BLAMES OPPOSITION FOR HUNGER & HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA AHEAD OF 2027

The National Economic Council also approved a national dashboard to track projects, placing emphasis on how proceeds from subsidy removal are utilized so citizens can check delivery for themselves. Previous waves of intervention included a ₦500 billion package for MSMEs, manufacturers, and compressed natural gas buses; a ₦35,000 monthly wage award for six months alongside ₦25,000 transfers to 15 million households; a ₦1 trillion household and construction program providing ₦50,000 grants to 100,000 families; a ₦200 billion agriculture fund with zero-duty grain imports; and a 10-point package featuring a 30-day petrol discount at NNPC stations.

Opposition figures have dismissed the timeline as election-driven maneuvering, pointing out that the implementation window overlaps with the approach of the presidential election, following the 16 years of PDP rule that preceded the current administration.