Atiku’s Aide Slams Tinubu Over Hunger Remarks, Says Policies Deepened Poverty

Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his recent comments on hunger and population growth in Nigeria, describing the President’s remarks as insensitive.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Ibe was reacting to Tinubu’s assertion that hunger existed in Nigeria before he was born and that the Federal Government could not control the country’s population growth.

According to Ibe, while hunger may have existed before Tinubu assumed office, the current administration has worsened the country’s economic situation through what he described as “ill-conceived trial and error policies.”

He alleged that the President had prioritised politics over governance, claiming that approximately 25 million additional Nigerians had fallen into poverty since 2023. Citing World Bank data, Ibe said the number of Nigerians living in poverty had risen from about 115 million when Tinubu assumed office to an estimated 140–141 million by 2025/2026.

Ibe also questioned the administration’s position on population growth, asking what specific policies the Federal Government had introduced to address the issue.

“And with reference to population growth, what policy has the Tinubu-led APC administration introduced to stem population growth? All that President Tinubu is doing is quarrelling with his tools,” he said.