Hunger: Akpabio’s ‘Insensitive And Expensive’ Joke On Free Food Sparks Anger

Anger has trailed the recent comments of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Akpabio had advised Nigerians to help themselves wherever they see free food.

Nigerians have been complaining about petrol price hike and its effect on commodities.

Recently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) increased petrol prices by over 15%, marking the second hike in less than a month, effectively exiting a subsidy program that the government said has strained its finances.

The product is sold above N1,000 per litre in various places across the country.

Speaking in a viral video of him presiding over a plenary session in the Red Chamber, the Senate President said: “Times are difficult, wherever you see free food, please endeavor to avail yourself”

In the video, his colleagues could be heard laughing following the remark.

Reacting on X, formerly Twitter, a user, @shanwatche, said: “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.”

@X6Blade: ”They are comfortably laughing while millions of Nigerians suffer.”

@ekejo: “He’s making jest of the Nigerian situation while Nigeria is feeding and catering for him and his family free of charge.”

@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.”

@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.”

This is not the first time Akpabio has been filmed making similar remarks.

In July 2023, the Senate President, while urging the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the electricity distribution companies to stop their 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 jocularly as echoes of laughter reverberated at plenary.

In response, the senators said, “aye”, to which Akpabio said, “The ayes have it! The poor must be allowed to breathe.”

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

“Those who want to protest can protest, but let us be here eating — I must thank the Niger Delta”, the former Akwa Ibom State governor had said.