A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has claimed that more Nigerians have committed suicide under President Bola Tinubu's administration than any previous government, citing widespread hunger and economic hardship as the primary causes.
Eze's statement comes in defense of former Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi, who recently declared that he was hungry – a comment that sparked controversy among government supporters.
"Amaechi saying he is hungry is a subtle way of advising Tinubu to have a rethink and save Nigerians from dying. It's a hard truth that must be said without minding whose ox is gored. It is speaking truth to power," Eze stated on Tuesday.
Hunger as a 'National Taboo'
The APC chieftain criticized what he described as the administration's intolerance of criticism, claiming that acknowledging hunger has become a "national taboo" under the current government.
"As it is in Nigeria today, under the insensitive and clueless government of President Tinubu, it is an act most abominable for any Nigerian to say he is hungry. In fact, it is now a national taboo and sanctionable crime for Tinubu's men to hear that Nigerians are hungry," he remarked.
Eze further alleged that the administration has resorted to "gagging critiques and forcefully stifling dissenting voices, including the media" who attempt to highlight what he termed as "monumental failures" of the government.
Response to Wike's Criticism
The statement also addressed Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike's criticism of Amaechi's hunger comment. Eze, who described Wike as "a man that was moulded, tutored and brought to political limelight by Amaechi," accused the FCT Minister of deliberately misinterpreting Amaechi's statement.
"Contrary to the reasoning of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike... the statement of the former Transportation Minister literally did not mean he can't feed himself or his family," Eze explained.
He added: "Building flyovers in Abuja and making noise can never quench the thirst and hunger in Nigerians. If you are hungry, can you ascend and descend from a flyover?"
Unprecedented Hardship Claims
According to Eze, the current economic situation in Nigeria is unprecedented, claiming that "even during the Nigeria/Biafra War, Nigerians have never been subjected to the level of wickedness and poverty currently pervading the nation under Tinubu due to misguided policies."
The APC chieftain also raised concerns about security issues, stating: "Today, Nigerians are being slaughtered like goats by criminal elements, gangs of bandits, terrorist organizations, religious extremists and other terror groups while the President sits idly by and watches unperturbed."
Eze appealed to President Tinubu and his allies to pay attention to what he described as "bizarre suffering, hunger and starvation" that is becoming an "enduring legacy" of the current administration.
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