PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the recent comment by former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, at a symposium marking his 60th birthday as a truthful reflection of the deepening hunger in Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement made available to the media, Eze said Amaechi’s remark, borne out of patriotism and empathy for suffering Nigerians, was a legitimate attempt to draw the attention of the President and his allies to the excruciating hardship and hunger ravaging the land. He accused the current regime of weaponizing poverty, silencing critics, and repressing media voices trying to spotlight the failures of the administration.
“As it is in Nigeria today, under the insensitive and clueless government of President Tinubu, it is an act most abominable for any Nigerian to say he is hungry. In fact, it is now a national taboo and a sanctionable crime for Tinubu’s men to hear that Nigerians are hungry,” Eze stated.
“Imagine Tinubu, beating Nigerians with his anti-people and self-serving economic policies, and yet doesn’t want them to cry out. That is the level of cruelty this government has descended to,” Eze added.
According to Eze, a political ally of Amaechi, instead of mocking the former Minister, Tinubu and his associates should have taken his comment as a timely and noble reminder of the need to revisit their so-called economic blueprint and urgently act to save Nigerians from looming starvation and economic collapse.
“Amaechi saying he is hungry is a subtle but serious call for Tinubu to act and stop the suffering. It is truth spoken to power, and nothing else. It was never about personal hardship, but a cry on behalf of millions of voiceless Nigerians,” Eze clarified.
He said Amaechi’s statement was meant to draw global attention to the rising poverty rate in Nigeria, where many citizens are now turning to suicide due to hopelessness and inability to provide for their families, while top government officials continue to live in opulence and display reckless extravagance.
Eze also expressed disappointment that figures like the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his media aide chose to mock Amaechi’s honest declaration. He said such behavior, especially from a former protégé of Amaechi, speaks volumes about the level of sycophancy and political decadence in the country.
He stressed that the hardship under Tinubu’s leadership is so pervasive that apart from those in government or benefitting from unchecked access to public funds, the average Nigerian is both hungry and angry. “Contrary to Wike’s misinterpretation, Amaechi was pointing out the collective hunger of the Nigerian people, not his personal inability to eat,” Eze explained.
“It is either you are in government or in the chain of looting that you can afford food. Wike and Tinubu’s aides know this, and pretending otherwise only worsens public anger. Building flyovers cannot quench hunger,” he said.
According to Eze, trivializing Amaechi’s words is a disservice to the country. He described such reactions as the antics of people who are enemies of the masses, using pretence and propaganda to cover up government failings.
He lamented that even during the Nigeria-Biafra war, Nigerians were not subjected to the level of poverty and suffering they now face. “Criminal gangs, terrorists, and violent groups now operate freely, killing citizens, while the President and his team remain aloof and unconcerned,” Eze stated.
He argued that only those looting public funds can boast of their next meal, not the over 300 million Nigerians whose daily struggle for food reflects Amaechi’s heartfelt statement. He praised Amaechi for his integrity in public office, stating that it was legitimate for him to echo the pain of the masses.
Eze warned President Tinubu against continuing to weaponize hunger, describing the strategy as both dangerous and undemocratic. He said attacking Amaechi, one of the founding members of the APC, for stating the truth was not only unpatriotic but exposes the regime’s intolerance to criticism.
He urged Nigerians not to lose hope, assuring that with collective resolve, a better future lies ahead by 2027. “There is still light at the end of the tunnel,” Eze said.
He called for continued prayers for people like Amaechi, who he said are working to rescue Nigeria from the grip of leaders masquerading as democrats but acting like despots. He also cautioned the Tinubu administration to embrace policies that will alleviate public suffering and halt the persecution of patriotic voices.
Eze concluded by urging figures like Wike to refrain from attacking sincere critics. “Sycophancy is another national ailment. Until we tackle it, Nigeria will continue to groan under the weight of misgovernance,” he added.
