Tinubu Blames Opposition As Over 133 Million Live In Severe Poverty

President Bola Tinubu has blamed opposition politicians for the starvation and poverty confronting Nigerians, insisting that his administration is working to handle the challenges regardless of the UNDP’s reported determine of 133 million Nigerians dwelling in poverty.

Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday on the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential marketing campaign flag-off rally at Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna State, because the occasion started mobilising help for his re-election bid in 2027.

The President accused his political opponents of making the financial difficulties they now criticise his authorities for.

“I have an argument. I hear my opponent talking about hunger, poverty. Who created it? They did! They created the hunger, they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” Tinubu mentioned.

However, figures from starvation and food-security assessments present that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians continued to face extreme food-related challenges throughout his administration.

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) report put Nigeria’s starvation rating at 29.2 in 2020, 28.3 in 2021 and 27.3 in 2022, with the nation categorized within the critical starvation class within the respective reviews.

The scenario deteriorated in subsequent years. The World Food Programme (WFP) projected that 31.5 million Nigerians would face acute meals insecurity in 2024, when Tinubu was in his second 12 months in workplace.

By 2025, about 33.1 million folks have been projected to face acute meals insecurity in the course of the lean season, in response to food-security assessments underneath the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system.

The IPC gives a typical framework for analysing and classifying the severity of meals insecurity and malnutrition.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in its 2025 report, mentioned that over 133 million folks lived in multidimensional poverty, a determine it mentioned had worsened underneath Tinubu’s administration.

At the Kaduna rally, Tinubu additionally defended his administration’s report on wage funds, commending state governors for his or her efficiency.

“We pay salaries regularly. Our governors are working. I am proud of them. They are developing,” he mentioned.

He expressed appreciation to Kaduna residents for supporting him in the course of the earlier presidential election, crediting their votes with contributing to his victory.

“You gave me joy to remember the victory you gave me to become president. I come again to thank you,” the President mentioned.

Tinubu urged the citizens to help his second-term ambition, saying he wished to maintain his promise of prosperity, continuity, progress and improvement.

He additionally addressed Nigerian kids on the rally, referring to his administration’s dedication to the nation’s future. However, the accessible transcription ends earlier than he completes the assertion.

The rally at Ranchers Bees Stadium, also referred to as Kaduna Township Stadium, marked the formal launch of the APC’s presidential marketing campaign actions forward of the 2027 basic elections.