Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised what he calls the “w+aponization of hunger and pov£rty” following the Federal Government’s recent distribution of food aid in Northern Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku took aim at the rollout of 100 trucks of rice and N1.2 billion in palliatives flagged off by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
He described the initiative as a “calculated political performance,” accusing the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of normalising hardship rather than solving it.
According to Atiku, rising inflation and economic strain have left millions of Nigerians unable to afford basic meals, while government efforts focus on “optics” instead of tackling the root causes of the crisis.
He further argued that Northern farmers have suffered declining productivity since 2023 due to insecurity and policy failures, forcing many to abandon farmlands and weakening food supply chains.
Atiku also alleged that food distribution has become a political tool, pointing to past efforts, including Ramadan outreach programmes linked to the president’s son, as part of a growing trend.
“The North needs sustainable food security policies, not campaign-style handouts,” he said, insisting that Nigerians “are not beggars to be pacified with periodic relief while their livelihoods collapse.”
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