The Director General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, has sparked controversy after declaring that Nigerians who go hungry are lazy.
Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State and senator representing Zamfara West, made the remarks on Saturday during the APC presidential campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Addressing supporters at the rally, Yari argued that food was still available in markets and that anyone with money could afford to buy rice and other food items.
According to him, hunger should only be considered a problem when food is completely unavailable in the market, regardless of how much money people have.
He insisted that anyone who was not lazy would always have food on their table.
Yari also criticised the attitude of young Nigerians, claiming that many prefer to remain at home pressing their phones instead of engaging in farming or learning trades, as previous generations did.
However, his comments have raised a critical question: How can Nigerians go to their farms when insecurity has forced many farmers away from their farmlands?
Across several parts of the country, farmers have faced attacks, killings, kidnappings and threats from armed groups, making it dangerous or impossible for many rural communities to continue farming. In some areas, families have abandoned their homes and farms out of fear for their lives.
Farmers who should be cultivating their land are instead struggling to survive after losing access to their sources of livelihood. Others face the fear of attacks while travelling to their farms or working on their fields.
The situation raises questions about how citizens can be expected to produce food when their safety and access to farmland are under threat.
Yari’s comments came at a rally where senior APC leaders were seen dancing energetically to the popular Buga song.
Vice President Kashim Shettima and Senator Adams Oshiomhole were among the party figures who joined the dancing on stage before cheering supporters. President Bola Tinubu also danced to a campaign song as the party continued its mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The contrast between the dancing at the rally and Yari’s comments about hungry Nigerians has attracted widespread attention, particularly amid concerns over food prices, insecurity and the rising cost of living.
Reacting to the development, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress, shared a video showing Yari’s remarks alongside scenes from the rally.
Abdullahi questioned whether Nigerians needed further evidence that the ruling APC had become disconnected from the realities facing ordinary citizens.
He criticised the contrast between political leaders celebrating on stage and millions of Nigerians struggling to afford food, arguing that citizens were being blamed for their own suffering.
The ADC spokesperson said political leaders were dancing while Nigerians went hungry, only to turn around and blame the people for their hardship.
Yari’s remarks have renewed debate about hunger, poverty, unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria, as well as the responsibility of government to create an environment where citizens can work, farm and earn a decent living without fear.
For millions of Nigerians, the challenge is not simply a lack of willingness to work. It is also the struggle to find affordable food, secure employment and safe conditions to earn a living.
