APC campaign chief Yari claims hardworking Nigerians can afford food despite cost-of-living crisis

Abdulaziz Yari, who heads the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, stated that diligent Nigerians ought to have the capacity to purchase food for their households. Yari delivered these comments on Friday while addressing an APC presidential campaign gathering at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. This occasion formed part of the efforts to back President Bola Tinubu’s pursuit of a second term in the 2027 general elections.

The former Zamfara State governor admitted that hunger exists within the nation but disputed the claim that food products are scarce. He questioned the audience from Akwa Ibom, asking if any resident had gone to the market with money and returned without being able to purchase basic foodstuffs such as rice. Yari maintained that because food is present in markets, the issue is not a physical shortage but rather a matter of financial access. He argued that if food were absent from markets, that would constitute true hunger, but since it is available, diligent individuals should be able to secure their meals.

Background

Yari’s comments are part of a broader political discourse regarding the economic hardship and rising cost of living in Nigeria. These comments mirror remarks President Bola Tinubu gave at a distinct APC campaign event in Kaduna on October 24. Addressing the crowd at the Ranchers Bees Stadium, the President blamed previous leaders for the prevailing hunger and poverty, explicitly accusing opposition politicians of fostering such circumstances. Tinubu defended his administration’s economic policies, noting that salaries are paid regularly, and promised prosperity if re-elected for a second term.

These assertions have drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress, rejected the President’s claims. Abubakar described the blame placed on the opposition as a "delusion" and argued that the current economic hardship is directly linked to government policies. He pointed to the elimination of the fuel subsidy and the decline in the naira’s value as causes of Nigerian hardship, maintaining that the public has the right to seek explanations from the government.

Why it matters

The debate over the cause of the economic crisis is a central issue in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. The cost of living has become a major topic in political discourse, with both the ruling party and the opposition framing the issue to appeal to voters. For the APC, the argument that food is available in markets serves to deflect criticism of economic management by shifting the focus to individual responsibility and past governance failures. Conversely, opposition leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, use the economic hardship to highlight what they perceive as policy failures, such as currency devaluation and subsidy removals. This divergence in narrative reflects the deepening political polarization over economic accountability in Nigeria.

The situation affects millions of Nigerian households facing increased prices for basic necessities. The political framing of hunger as either a result of past mismanagement or a challenge of affordability rather than availability has significant implications for how voters perceive the performance of the current administration and the platforms of competing parties.