“Nigerians Have Been Hungry Since 1999” — Bwala Replies Atiku

Daniel Bwala, special adviser on policy communication to President Bola Tinubu, has pushed back against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s remarks linking rising insecurity in the country to worsening hunger and poverty.

Atiku, who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, had in a recent TV interview argued that hunger was fueling insecurity across Nigeria. He also shared his views on X, amplifying his concerns about the economy.

Responding on Wednesday, Bwala dismissed the opposition leader’s claims, insisting that hardship in Nigeria did not start under the Tinubu administration. He argued that hunger has been a recurring issue in the country for decades, dating back to independence.

According to Bwala, “Nigerians were hungry in 1960, hungry in 1980, hungry in 1990, hungry in 1999. It was between 1999 and 2003 that somebody sang ‘Nigeria Jaga Jaga.’ You mean he sang in the abstract?”

The presidential aide accused opposition politicians of deliberately trying to discredit the government despite what he described as measurable economic progress. He pointed to rising foreign reserves, improved export performance, and reduced dependence on imports as signs of stability.

Bwala also highlighted social interventions such as improved healthcare access, including Caesarean section services in hospitals, and the launch of NELFUND, a student loan initiative. He said these policies demonstrate that the Tinubu administration is addressing fundamental issues rather than worsening them.

He added that the opposition had initially criticized the government’s economic model but had since been proven wrong, resorting instead to what he described as “dog whistling for civil unrest.”

“The rhetoric of Nigerians are hungry is not new,” Bwala said. “Judge us not by the rhetoric but by the dynamics of what we’re putting in place and whether it’s working.”