RIVERS, Nigeria — Former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has attributed widespread hunger in Nigeria partly to what he described as laziness among citizens, insisting that hard work would help Nigerians overcome poverty.
Yari made the controversial remark on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to him, the government should not be held solely responsible for the country’s hunger crisis, arguing that many Nigerians are unwilling to work but expect money to come to them.
“You are hungry because you are lazy. If you work hard, you will not be hungry,” he told the rally audience.
The former governor argued that Nigerians in previous generations worked on farms in the morning and had food to eat in the evening, contrasting that experience with what he described as the reluctance of many young people to engage in farming or learn vocational skills.
He accused some young Nigerians of preferring to spend their time on mobile phones while blaming the government for their economic difficulties.
His comments come against the backdrop of persistent concerns over rising food prices, declining purchasing power and the cost-of-living crisis confronting millions of Nigerian households.
