The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign director-general, Abdulaziz Yari, for calling Nigerians lazy.
NEWSNGR recalls that Yari, during the APC presidential campaign rally in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, said Nigerians who are not lazy would have food on their tables, as hunger caused by economic hardship pervades the land.
Yari also said food items are readily available in markets.
He said, “Just as I said, we have hunger. Let me ask a question here. Akwa Ibom people, from where I came from, we have food in the market.
“I don’t know, in Akwa Ibom, is there any person who took his money to the market and found out there’s no rice? You didn’t answer me. Is there anybody with money in his pocket who goes to the market to get foodstuffs and says that there’s no foodstuffs in the market?
“If there’s no food in the market, that’s what we are calling hunger. But anyone who is not a lazy person, definitely he would have food on his table.”
However, in a statement through the ADC’s Presidential Campaign Council’s Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said President Bola Tinubu’s administration does not believe Nigerians are hungry.
Atiku also berated Yari for mocking Nigerians experiencing hardship caused by Tinubu’s government.
He said, “My government will carefully invest in social welfare and stop the unfair system your government uses to take money away from people who are struggling financially in Nigeria.
“The campaign’s director-general claims that hungry Nigerians are just lazy. He gave that statement in such bad grammar that it could wake the dead. This government doesn’t even think Nigerians are hungry.
“How can you fix an issue you won’t even admit exists? You made poverty, then mock the people who are going through it.
“You’re attacking my Affordable Life campaign, but the real people you’re hurting are the millions of Nigerians who are struggling and need help because of your poor leadership.”
