Tinubu’s distribution of rice, N1.2bn palliatives to North politically motivated – Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the distribution of 100 trucks of rice and N1.2 billion cash support to Northern States by Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, describing the initiative as a politicisation of hardship rather than a genuine intervention.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the distribution of 100 trucks of rice and N1.2 billion cash support to Northern States by Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady, describing the initiative as a politicisation of hardship rather than a genuine intervention.
Atiku made his position known on Friday in a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The intervention, flagged off in Kaduna, targeted vulnerable households across the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
It was implemented in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Political and Other Matters.
Speaking at the launch then, the First Lady said the initiative reflected the spirit of sacrifice, compassion and solidarity associated with the festive season, adding that State Committees would ensure the items reach intended beneficiaries.
However, Atiku faulted the move, describing it as a “subtle weaponisation of hunger” and a politically motivated exercise.
“What Nigerians are witnessing today is the tragic normalisation of poverty under the present Administration. Families can no longer afford basic meals, inflation has eroded incomes, and millions are being pushed into extreme deprivation,” he said.
He argued that rather than addressing the structural causes of economic hardship, the Government had opted for “optics,” staging publicised distribution programmes while underlying challenges persist.
The former Presidential candidate also linked food insecurity in the North to worsening insecurity and declining agricultural productivity, which he said, had forced many farmers off their lands and weakened supply chains.
“Ironically, the same government now seeks to exploit this hardship by turning food into a campaign tool. What the North needs are sustainable food security policies, not handouts packaged for political gain,” he said.
Atiku further recalled a similar food distribution exercise during Ramadan last year involving the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu, describing it as a precursor to what he termed a broader strategy of politicising poverty.
“What began as an experiment has now evolved into a full-blown policy of optics over substance. Nigerians are not beggars to be pacified with periodic handouts while their livelihoods collapse,” he added.
He urged citizens to reject what he described as “politics of survival” and demand accountable, responsive leadership.
