The spokesperson said Nigerians should thank God that they are “not crossing the borders to look for food”.
The president’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has said Nigerians should be grateful they can feed themselves under the Muhammadu Buhari regime, as food scarcity looms in other nations due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.
In a statement released on Friday, Mr Adesina reminded critics of the regime to be grateful they are not crossing the nation’s borders in search of food, stressing that food security was a top priority of his principal.
“For those who look at only the downsides of things, under President Buhari, we can be thankful to God that we can feed ourselves, and not crossing the borders to look for food,” Mr Adesina said.
The president’s aide further insinuated that Mr Buhari was unperturbed by a Tuesday visit from Akinwumi Adesina, president of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), who informed him of an imminent food crisis in Africa.
“If there’s anything president Buhari is concerned about, it is that Nigerians should be able to feed themselves, without recourse to massive food importation,” wrote Mr Adesina.
According to him, Mr Buhari had the foresight to pump massive funds into the agriculture sector to avoid such a crisis.
“That was why he encouraged us to return to the land, put his money where his mouth is by funding agriculture massively, and today, we have a lot to be thankful for. Food security is almost a reality in the country,” he added.
These claims however contradicts the reality of many Nigerians affected by hunger and malnutrition as food prices continue to spike under the Buhari regime.
A market survey conducted by Peoples Gazette six months ago beamed a spotlight on the rising food prices in the nation.