The ongoing war of words between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties has escalated, following the APC’s sharp criticism of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s warning on rising hunger in the country.
Earlier this week, the APC described Atiku’s comments as “reckless, irresponsible, and a tacit instigation of revolution,” accusing him of trying to incite unrest and destabilize the Tinubu-led administration.
However, opposition parties, including the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have pushed back, accusing the APC of attempting to silence critics and deflect from the country’s worsening economic conditions.
In an exclusive interview with PUNCH Online, NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, defended Atiku’s remarks, stressing that raising concerns over hunger is not incitement.
“I don’t believe Atiku is trying to incite Nigerians. As an elder statesman, he has the right indeed, the duty to speak truth to power,” Johnson said.
“When someone highlights that there’s widespread hunger and hardship, it’s a wake-up call to the government, not a call to arms. The APC shouldn’t be in the business of blackmailing voices of concern.”
The PDP also threw its weight behind Atiku, calling the APC’s reaction “detached from reality.”
Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, said Atiku simply echoed the suffering of millions of Nigerians who can no longer afford two meals a day.
“It’s both shameful and painful to see government officials, entrusted with public resources, living in a bubble, oblivious to the daily struggles of ordinary citizens,” he said.
“Atiku voiced what millions of Nigerians are thinking. The cost of living is unbearable. If the government doesn’t act swiftly, Nigeria risks becoming a beggarly nation.”
Osadolor further challenged the APC to prove its popularity by shedding its security detail.
“If the APC truly believes it has the support of the people, let its leaders walk freely without hundreds of policemen guarding them. Let’s see how the public reacts.”
Atiku, who lost to President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general elections, had warned that continued hardship and food insecurity could spark public unrest similar to the French and Russian revolutions.
While the APC dismissed his remarks as dangerous and anti-democratic, opposition leaders insist Atiku simply articulated the frustration of ordinary Nigerians facing deepening economic hardship under the current administration.
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