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| PDP Urges Nigerians to Shift Focus from Atiku’s Departure to Soaring Hunger Crisis |
The main opposition party in Nigeria has called on citizens to set aside swirling rumors about a former presidential candidate’s possible exit and concentrate on the real threat facing millions today: hunger. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the talk of internal defections distracts from a crisis that deepens by the day.
The party’s national publicity secretary noted that food inflation remains stubbornly high, even as headline inflation edges down. New figures show overall prices rose 22.22 percent year-on-year in June, the lowest since late 2023 but still among the highest on the continent. At the same time, food costs climbed nearly 22 percent , squeezing household budgets everywhere.
Even more alarming is the number of Nigerians unable to secure enough to eat. A recent report warns that over 33 million citizens face food insecurity this year because of soaring costs and disruptions in farming areas . That translates to nearly one in six people struggling for daily meals.
PDP leaders stress that hunger fuels instability. They point to last year’s nationwide EndBadGovernance protests, when youths took to the streets with banners reading “Hardship Is Unbearable.” The party argues those demonstrations sprang from unmet demands for cheaper fuel, stable power, and access to basic food items.
Rather than dwell on personality shifts in party ranks, the PDP urges federal officials to ramp up cash-transfer schemes. The International Monetary Fund has recommended expanding such programs to aid the most vulnerable . So far, only a fraction of those at risk receive any support.
Experts warn that without swift action, hunger could ripple into more unrest. Economists say tying subsidy savings and tighter fiscal controls to direct aid would ease some strain. They also stress boosting local food production, which fell sharply last season amid insecurity in key farming zones.
The government insists it is working on solutions. Officials cite plans to adjust budget lines for social safety nets and to engage private farms in a nationwide drive to reduce reliance on imports. Yet critics say these steps lack urgency and scale to match the crisis on the ground.
Amid mixed signals from Abuja, the PDP frames its call as a plea for unity around a clear cause. Party spokespeople suggest that shifting the debate back to public hardship could build the broad consensus needed to protect at-risk communities.
This shift also carries political weight. By focusing on hunger, the PDP hopes to move public discourse from rumors about one figure’s allegiance toward a crisis affecting all Nigerians. The strategy underlines that when basic survival is at stake, talk of party exits rings hollow.
Many families face costly cycles of buying seed and fertilizer again as planting begins after rainy season ends brutally. Analysts fear food prices may climb sharply by harvest time without support prolonging hardship well into 2026.
The PDP’s message rings clear: Nigerians should demand policies that put food on plates, not chatter about who stays or leaves a party. In the face of a hunger crisis that spares no region, unity around concrete action offers the best path forward.