Nigeria’s most influential voices sounded a united alarm in Abuja. At a lecture honoring Rotimi Amaechi’s 60th birthday, Atiku Abubakar, Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Cardinal Onaiyekan, and others demanded urgent action against poverty to rescue democracy. Their message was clear: “Poverty is being weaponized – and it’s destroying Nigeria.”
Why Poverty Threatens Democracy
Cardinal Onaiyekan linked poverty to political failure: “Democracy thrives only when leaders uplift citizens, not themselves.” Critically, he tied fair elections to poverty reduction: “Voters must freely choose leaders who serve them – not exploit them.”
Sanusi’s Shocking Reality Check
The Emir of Kano revealed: “As CBN governor, I saw poverty statistics. But I only understood it when I visited villages.” He described crumbling schools and undrinkable water, asking sharply:
“Do we love the people? Or just love ruling them? We build city overpasses while rural mothers die reaching hospitals. This is a crisis.”
Atiku’s Direct Challenge to Leaders
The former VP accused: “Stop using poverty as a weapon to hold Nigerians hostage.” He demanded: “Leaders at all levels must live up to expectations. Collective action against poverty cannot wait.”
El-Rufai’s Take: Bad Choices Enable Poverty
The ex-Kaduna governor argued: “Politicians aren’t smart enough to deliberately weaponize poverty – but bad leadership allows it to fester.” His solution? “Voters must choose leaders committed to lifting the poor.”
Experts Confirm: Poverty = National Disease
- 🩺 Prof. Usman Yusuf (Ex-NHIS): “Hospitals now treat poverty-induced sicknesses, not just medical conditions.”
- 📚 Dr. Chidi Amuta (Cambridge Scholar): “Democracy must be measured by its power to rescue people from the ‘republic of poverty’.”
- 🔗 Amaechi: “Insecurity feeds on hunger. And hunger knows no tribe or religion.”
The Path Forward
All speakers agreed: Nigeria’s survival requires:
✅ Prioritizing citizen welfare over elite enrichment
✅ Holding leaders accountable through free elections
✅ Redirecting resources from cities to rural crises
✅ Measuring democracy by poverty reduction, not political rhetoric
Chairman Wole Soyinka closed the historic lecture attended by ex-governors and traditional rulers.
Your Voice Matters:
👉 Do YOU believe poverty is weaponized in Nigeria?
👉 What’s ONE action leaders must take immediately?
Share your solutions below!
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