By Jude Opara
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the administration of President Bola Tinubu as “clueless and insensitive,” following recent remarks made by former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.
In a press statement issued yesterday to commemorate Amaechi’s 60th birthday, Eze said the former minister’s expression of hunger during a symposium “is a mirror of the hunger, suffering and hopelessness facing millions of Nigerians under Tinubu’s leadership.”
“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 sanctionable crime for Tinubu’s men to hear that Nigerians are hungry,” Eze stated.
Describing the situation as a national emergency, Eze said Amaechi’s comment should not have been ridiculed by government supporters, particularly Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“Imagine, Tinubu, beating Nigerians, impoverished by his obnoxious, anti-people and self-serving economic policies, and yet, doesn’t want them to cry out over hunger,” he said.
According to Eze, Amaechi’s comment was a subtle but sincere call to action, a patriotic plea for Tinubu to revisit his “nonexistent economic blueprint” in order to avert national collapse.
“Amaechi saying he is hungry is a subtle way of advising Tinubu to have a rethink and save Nigerians from dying. It’s a hard truth that must be said without minding whose ox is gored. It is speaking truth to power. It’s nothing but the truth.”
He said the statement points to the harsh reality in which only those within the government or controlling public funds can afford three meals a day, while the rest of the population struggles to survive.
“Without mincing words, Amaechi made the statement to draw the attention of the insensitive Tinubu’s government and the entire world to the unending hunger and abject poverty causing most Nigerians to commit suicide and not be sure of their next meal.”
Eze accused government officials of living extravagantly while millions face deprivation, and warned that sycophantic behaviour especially by officials like Wike and his aides only deepens public resentment.
“Contrary to the reasoning of Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, a man that was moulded, tutored and brought to political limelight by Amaechi, the statement of the former Transportation Minister literally did not mean he can’t feed himself or his family.”
“Amaechi’s statement was a pointer to the fact that it is either you are in government or among those engaged in looting of the country’s treasury… or else you will feel the pang of hunger.”According to him, N166.5 billion amounting to 14.4 per cent of the budget is allocated for health, while approximately N6.2 billion is being allocated for youth empowerment which includes digital resource centres and sports development and N5.2 billion was proposed for women affairs.
