John Odigie-Oyegun, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Nigerians have moved from hunger to starvation under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Oyegun spoke on Friday during an interview on Prime Time, a political programme aired on Arise Television.
He blamed the worsening economic and security conditions on poor leadership choices and a lack of preparation by successive administrations.
Oyegun Recounts His Private Talk With Buhari
Oyegun, who has defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and is the chairman of the party’s policy manifesto committee, said he raised concerns with former president Muhammadu Buhari less than six months after he assumed office.
He said he met Buhari privately and told him that Nigerians expected a more decisive leader.
According to Oyegun, Buhari responded that he had “learned his lesson” and wanted to govern as a civilian president.
Oyegun said Buhari referred to traumatic experiences from his military era, including executions carried out under his rule.
He said the conversation left him deeply worried about the direction of the government.
“I said to myself, oh God, we’re finished,” Oyegun said.
Tinubu’s subsidy Removal a National Shock
Oyegun said he later believed Tinubu, unlike Buhari, was more of a politician who understood governance dynamics.
However, he said Tinubu’s first major policy decision — fuel subsidy removal — came as a shock.
He said the government failed to prepare Nigerians for the policy and did not put countermeasures in place.
According to him, fuel prices jumped from just over ₦100 to about ₦600 and ₦700 almost immediately after Tinubu’s announcement.
He said the country has not recovered from the impact.
From Hunger to Starvation
Oyegun said Nigerians have moved beyond hunger into full-scale starvation.
He explained that hunger means managing one meal a day, while starvation means having no food at all.
He said many Nigerians now resort to scavenging to survive.
“That is the situation we are in today, and it has not improved,” he said.
Security Crisis Spreading Beyond the North
Oyegun also raised concerns about Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation.
He said insecurity, once concentrated in Borno state due to Boko Haram, has gradually spread southward.
He cited the recent attack in Kwara state as an example.
According to him, credible local reports showed that security forces arrived about 10 hours after the attack began.
He criticised what he described as a lack of creative thinking by security authorities.
“As usual, they order the security chiefs to take immediate action,” he said.
The ex-APC national chairman said Nigeria needs bold thinking, clear planning and leadership that understands the realities facing the people
