Akpabio’s insensitive joke about hunger, hardship triggers anger in Nigerians

Akpabio's absurd joke about hunger, hardship triggers Nigerians' anger

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has drawn the ire of some Nigerians following his comment on the prevalent hunger and economic hardship in the country.

Speaking during a plenary session last week, Akpabio jocularly urged his colleagues to avail themselves of free food wherever they come across such.

The moment was captured in a video which has since gone viral on social media.

His remarks come amid complaints by many despondent Nigerians due to the increasing prices of petrol and its resultant effect on commodities.

Just last week, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) slammed an over 15% increase in petrol prices across the country, marking the second hike in less than a month.

The move effectively confirmed the national oil company’s full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector, and a goodbye to a subsidy program that the government said strained its finances.

The petrol pump price now sells for above N1,000 per litre in various places across the country.

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Nigerians not impressed by Akpabio’s joke

Meanwhile, in the conversation with his colleagues, Akpabio said, “Times are difficult, wherever you see free food, please endeavour to avail yourself,” to a rousing response from his colleagues.

However, some Nigerians took an exception to the Senate President’s remarks.

Taking to X, the aggrieved citizens expressed their displeasure over what they term a mockery of the masses’ predicament.

Below are some of the reactions;

@ekejo: “He’s making of the Nigerian situation while Nigeria is feeding and catering for him and his family free of charge.”
@X6Blade: “They are comfortably laughing while millions of Nigerians suffer.”
@metsamyoung: “You see how they are happy and laughing at over 200 million people. The people in Power and all our leaders see everyone as there slave and make mockery of the situation in Nigeria. If you like keep promoting them and think is all about politics. It’s all about enslavement.”
@shanwatche: “These guys are not aware of the plight of the citizens. This is sad. You impoverished the people and admonished them to become beggars?”
@ManOfNumvers_: “They are causing them hardship and making fun of them at the same time. And Nigerians are keeping quiet.”
@diepole: “Nigerians in Akwa ibom and Abuja suppose know the right things to do, Akpabio house is full of food, is better our people in those mentioned places visit him.”

Akpabio’s previous careless remarks

This is hardly the first time the former Akwa Ibom State Governor would be caught making remarks, which seek to make light of the sufferings in the country.

In July 2023, Akpabio, while urging the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the electricity distribution companies to halt the proposed electricity tariff increment, passed a motion in a manner many considered ridiculous.

“The prayer is that, let the poor breathe, and Senator Mustapha has seconded that the poor should breathe. Those who are in support of the additional prayer that the poor should be allowed to breathe, say ‘ayes’ and those who are against say ‘nay,’” Akpabio had said humorously as echoes of laughter reverberated at plenary.

In response, his colleagues said, “Aye”, to which Akpabio said, “The ayes have it! The poor must be allowed to breathe.”

Similarly, speaking at an event organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in July 2024, the Senate President taunted those calling for nationwide demonstrations over economic hardship.

“Those who want to protest can protest, but let us be there eating — I must thank the Niger Delta,” he said.