PRESS STATEMENT

1ST AUGUST, 2026

TINUBU’S COMMENTS ON HUNGER ARE INSENSITIVE, AVOID RESPONSIBILITY, AND FALL SHORT OF THE EXPECTATIONS OF LEADERSHIP

The Allied People’s Movement (APM), Lagos State Chapter, expresses deep concern over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported remarks to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), in which he stated that hunger existed before he was born and suggested that religious institutions should continue giving hope to the people.

While we acknowledge the invaluable role of religious institutions in providing spiritual guidance, moral leadership, and humanitarian support, it is important to state that churches, mosques, and other faith-based organizations cannot and should not be expected to bear the constitutional responsibility of government.

The primary responsibility of any government is the security and welfare of its citizens. Economic prosperity, job creation, food security, and poverty reduction are core obligations of elected leaders. Religious bodies are called to offer spiritual hope, compassion, and charitable support, but they cannot replace government policies designed to improve the living conditions of the people.

Millions of Nigerians are experiencing severe economic hardship. Rising food prices, inflation, unemployment, and the declining purchasing power of ordinary citizens have made daily survival increasingly difficult. At such a critical time, Nigerians deserve empathy, practical solutions, and policies that restore confidence in the economy—not remarks that may be perceived as dismissive of their present realities.

The argument that hunger existed before this administration does not absolve the current government of its responsibility. Every administration inherits challenges, but it is elected because it presents itself as capable of addressing those challenges. Leadership is measured not by the problems inherited but by the solutions implemented.

If the President believed these longstanding economic challenges were beyond remedy, Nigerians are entitled to ask why he sought the highest office in the first place. The mandate of governance is to improve the lives of citizens, not merely to acknowledge that problems have existed for generations.

APM therefore calls on the Federal Government to focus its attention on practical economic reforms that translate into affordable food, stable prices, increased agricultural productivity, employment opportunities, and meaningful relief for struggling families. Nigerians need policies that reduce suffering and restore hope through measurable improvements in their standard of living.

As the leading opposition party in Lagos State, APM will continue to advocate responsible governance, accountability, and people-centred policies. We remain committed to speaking for ordinary Nigerians and holding those in authority accountable for the promises they made to the electorate.

Signed:

Ayodele Kazeem
State Publicity Secretary
Allied People’s Movement (APM), Lagos State Chapter