The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the recent food stampede incidents across the nation, calling them a grim indicator of the severe misery, poverty, and hunger that afflict Nigeria under the seemingly indifferent and chaotic governance of the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party expressed its sorrow over the tragic events in Oyo and Anambra States, as well as in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where approximately 60 vulnerable individuals, including children, lost their lives while desperately seeking food due to the rampant hunger exacerbated by the APC’s detrimental policies.
In a statement from its spokesperson, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the PDP lamented the devastation wrought by the APC administration, which has dismantled the previously flourishing economy and driven millions of Nigerians into deeper poverty. With many citizens unable to afford basic meals, some are resorting to extreme measures such as suicide, human trafficking abroad, or scrambling for mere scraps to survive.
“It’s a tragedy that, despite our nation’s abundant resources, Nigerians endure a torturous existence where they perish in their quest for food,” Ologunagba stated.
He further asserted that this bad situation reinforces the perception of the APC as a party of “political vampires and buccaneers” who exhibit no respect for human life and seem to take pleasure in the suffering and deaths of citizens, including innocent children.
“This reality is evident in the APC administration’s continued claims of false performance and empty promises of food security, all while neglecting to invest in critical sectors like agriculture and food production,” he added.
The PDP also criticized the APC government for ignoring the party’s and other concerned citizens’ advice to reconsider the hasty implementation of harsh policies, such as the sudden increase in fuel prices and the floating of the Naira, both of which have had devastating effects on the productive sector and the lives of everyday citizens.
Additionally, the PDP highlighted the APC-led government’s failure to prioritize the welfare of the populace, noting that instead of utilizing national resources for the people’s benefit, APC leaders are involved in rampant corruption through direct theft from government funds, budget manipulation, contract inflation, oil subsidy scandals, and ineffective programs that do nothing to improve citizens’ lives.
