APC chieftain claims Nigerians "not that hungry," dismisses opposition rhetoric
APC Presidential Campaign Council member Alwan Hassan declared on Channels TV's Politics Today Tuesday that Nigerians "are not that hungry" and accused the opposition of lying to gain political sympathy ahead of 2027.
Hassan was responding to opposition framing of the 2027 contest as a battle between President Tinubu and hungry Nigerians. "That is opposition rhetoric. People are not that hungry. They should stop lying," he stated, insisting Nigerians are going about normal business—markets, work, daily life—and the opposition's portrayal doesn't match reality.
This echoes APC PCC Director-General Abdulaziz Yari's similar dismissal of widespread hunger claims days earlier. Both statements come amid persistent public outcry over rising food prices, transport costs, and general cost-of-living pressures.
The disconnect is stark: government allies claim hunger is exaggerated for politics, while millions of Nigerians report skipping meals, cutting protein, and struggling with basics. NBS data shows food inflation above 39% as of September.
With 2027 campaigns heating up, expect more clashes between official narratives and ground-level reality. The question isn't just who's right—it's whether policy responses match what people actually experience.