Outrage, Public Reactions Trail 'Grab Any Free Food You See' Comment By Senate President, Godswill Akpabio
By: Olufemi Orunsola, AbdulWasiu Akintunde
A cacophony of reactions have started to trail the latest statement credited to Nigeria's Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of every opportunity to enjoy free food amid the ongoing economic challenges in the country.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered from the new viral video now trending in the country that Akpabio, has remarked that, “Times are difficult, and wherever you see free food, please endeavour to avail yourself.”
Put in context, the Senate President, previously known for often throwing jibes and sarcastic jokes about difficulties faced by the country, actually made the controversial statement while on a lighter mode during Senate plenary, thus provoking laughter from fellow legislators
However, the comment by the Senate leader has attracted a cacophony of reactions from across section of Nigerians online and offline as many Nigerians take objections to the comment, coming at a time of harsh socio-economic hardships, hunger and food security crisis in the populous African country resulting from the tough policies of the Federal government.
Coming at a time when fuel prices at filling stations across the country have just jumped above N1,000 per litre from its previous prices, a cross section of Nigerians online have criticized the Senate leader for being insensitive t
OTN News further gathered that many Nigerians online have blamed the current hardship in the country on tough policies by the Tinubu-led administration, noting that the removal of the fuel subsidy, the floating of the naira, and increased taxation, have all combined to occasion an unprecedented hike in prices of food commodities which have now gone out of reach of the generality of the masses.
Akpabio, known for his controversial remarks,OTN News recalls, had previously addressed a conference for Niger Delta ethnic nationalities, youth, and women in Port Harcourt in July, where he responded to Nigerians planning the #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled for August by saying, “Those who want to protest can protest, but let us be here eating.”
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