Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has blamed opposition politicians for the hunger and poverty affecting millions of Nigerians, insisting that his administration is working to reverse the country's economic difficulties as he formally launched his campaign for a second presidential term.
Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday, October 24, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off rally in Kaduna State. Addressing supporters, the president challenged opposition leaders who have criticised his government over the rising cost of living, arguing that they were responsible for the problems they now accuse his administration of failing to solve.
“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created hunger. They created poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” Tinubu said, according to Sahara Reporters
The rally marked the beginning of the APC's campaign to secure another four-year term for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. His comments have brought the country's economic conditions, the consequences of his administration's reforms and competing political claims about responsibility for hardship into sharper focus.
Tinubu promises prosperity, growth and economic recovery
During the rally, Tinubu told supporters that his government had a plan for economic recovery and greater prosperity. He accused opposition politicians of offering criticism and hostility instead of practical solutions.
“Our opponents are angry because they are playing you. They have nothing to offer you but hate. We have prosperity, consistency, growth, recovery, and opportunity. I assure you,” the president said.
Tinubu also defended the performance of APC governors, praising them for paying workers' salaries regularly and implementing development programmes in their respective states.
He urged supporters to remain alert to what he described as misleading messages from political opponents. The president further encouraged eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the 2027 elections, calling on them to support APC candidates at the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state assembly levels.
The message was designed to rally party supporters around the administration's economic agenda and its promise of continued development.
Economic hardship remains a major issue ahead of the 2027 election
Tinubu's remarks come amid continuing public concerns about food prices, petrol costs, transportation expenses and the affordability of basic necessities.
Since taking office in May 2023, his administration has implemented major economic reforms, including removing the long-standing petrol subsidy and changing the foreign-exchange regime. The government has defended these measures as necessary to reduce fiscal pressures, improve the management of public finances and create conditions for long-term economic growth.
However, the reforms have also contributed to significant financial pressure on households and businesses, particularly through higher fuel and transportation costs and the effects of currency depreciation.
A Reuters report published on October 24 noted that the reforms had improved aspects of Nigeria's public finances, foreign reserves and investor confidence, while also contributing to a severe cost-of-living crisis. Petrol prices reportedly reached between ₦1,400 and ₦1,500 per litre in September 2026.
These competing outcomes have become central to the political debate. Supporters of the reforms argue that removing costly subsidies and changing currency policy were necessary to address longstanding economic weaknesses. Critics contend that the immediate burden on ordinary Nigerians has been substantial and that the government must do more to protect vulnerable households.
Tinubu's accusation that opposition politicians created the current hardship is his political position. It does not, by itself, establish responsibility for the country's economic difficulties, which have developed through a combination of longstanding structural problems, government decisions and domestic and international economic pressures.
Opposition figures challenge the administration's economic record
Opposition politicians have criticised the government's handling of inflation, living costs and economic reforms, arguing that many Nigerians have not experienced sufficient improvement in their daily lives.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who finished second and third respectively in the 2023 presidential election, are among the prominent political figures expected to challenge Tinubu's bid for another term. Reuters reported that the campaign is unfolding amid widespread economic hardship and continuing security concerns.
The opposition's criticism focuses in part on whether the administration's reforms have delivered meaningful improvements in living standards and whether adequate support has been provided to people struggling with higher prices.
Tinubu, meanwhile, has argued that the reforms are necessary and that his government is working towards recovery and greater economic opportunity.
As campaigning progresses, voters are likely to assess these competing claims against their own experiences, alongside evidence on inflation, employment, household incomes, public services and economic growth.
Fuel subsidy removal remains a major campaign issue
The petrol subsidy is expected to remain an important subject during the 2027 election campaign.
For decades, Nigeria used government spending to keep petrol prices below levels that would otherwise have prevailed in the market. Successive governments faced growing fiscal costs, disputes over subsidy payments and concerns about smuggling and the distribution of benefits.
Tinubu's decision to end the subsidy in 2023 was one of his administration's most consequential early policies. The government has argued that the money previously used to support subsidised petrol can instead help finance public services and development.
Nevertheless, the transition has been difficult for many households. Higher fuel costs affect more than motorists: they can increase the cost of public transportation, food distribution, farming, manufacturing and other commercial activities.
Reuters reported that some opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, have advocated restoring the subsidy if elected. Tinubu defended its removal at the Kaduna rally, arguing that the policy belonged in the past and linking the former system to corruption, false invoicing and fuel smuggling.
The debate illustrates a fundamental policy choice facing voters: whether to maintain the current reform direction, reverse some measures or introduce different forms of economic support to reduce pressure on households.
Why Kaduna matters to the APC campaign
The APC selected Kaduna for the formal launch of Tinubu's re-election campaign, bringing party supporters and senior political figures together in a major northern Nigerian state.
Vice President Kashim Shettima spoke at the rally, highlighting Tinubu's historical political relationships with northern leaders. Kaduna Governor Uba Sani also addressed supporters, while other senior APC figures attended the event.
Northern Nigeria is politically significant because of its population and influence in national elections. The North-West, in particular, is an important electoral region for parties seeking a broad national coalition.
Beginning the campaign in Kaduna gives the APC an opportunity to mobilise supporters in the region and reinforce its relationships with state-level political organisations. However, attendance at a rally does not establish how voters will ultimately cast their ballots.
The party will still need to persuade Nigerians across different regions that its economic policies, security strategy and development commitments deserve another term.
Security challenges will also shape the election
Economic conditions are not the only concern confronting Nigerian voters. Insecurity remains a major national issue, including armed banditry, kidnappings and the long-running Islamist insurgency in parts of the country.
Reuters identified security alongside economic hardship as a significant challenge for Tinubu as he began his re-election campaign.
For many communities, the effects of insecurity extend beyond immediate threats to life and property. Violence and kidnapping can disrupt farming, education, transportation, local trade and access to essential services.
The government's record on security, therefore, is likely to be assessed alongside its handling of food affordability, jobs, wages and public infrastructure. Opposition parties will have opportunities to present alternative approaches, while the ruling party will seek to defend its achievements and explain its plans for the next term.
What Nigerians should watch as the campaign progresses
The Kaduna rally marks the beginning of a campaign in which economic accountability is likely to remain a central issue. Tinubu has promised prosperity, recovery and continuity, while opposition figures have questioned whether the government's policies have improved living conditions sufficiently.
Several developments will help voters evaluate the competing claims:
- Food and household costs: Whether essential goods become more affordable and household purchasing power improves.
- Fuel and transportation: Whether changes in energy prices ease pressure on commuters, farmers and businesses.
- Jobs and incomes: Whether employment opportunities and wages improve relative to the cost of living.
- Public services: Whether government spending produces measurable improvements in healthcare, education, infrastructure and social support.
- Security: Whether the authorities make progress against kidnapping, banditry and insurgency.
- Economic management: Whether reforms improve public finances and investment while reducing the hardship experienced by vulnerable households.
These indicators provide a more concrete basis for evaluating political promises than campaign statements alone.
A campaign shaped by accountability and economic expectations
Tinubu's declaration that opposition politicians created Nigeria's hunger and poverty sets a confrontational tone for the campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election. His administration maintains that its reforms are intended to address longstanding economic problems and deliver eventual recovery, while critics argue that the human cost of those reforms has been too high.
The central question for voters will be whether the government's policies produce measurable improvements in living standards, and whether the alternatives offered by opposition parties provide credible solutions.
As the campaign continues, Nigerians will have an opportunity to compare the ruling party's record and promises with the proposals of its challengers. Ultimately, the debate over hunger, poverty and economic recovery will be decided not by accusations alone, but by the evidence, policies and choices presented to the electorate.