Nigeria is going through hard times, and many people believe poverty is being used in a dangerous way. Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), says the government is using poverty to control people.

Atiku spoke at an event in Abuja on May 31 to mark the 60th birthday of Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor. The talk was about how poverty is being used as a tool in Nigeria. Atiku said the government is taking advantage of the country’s economic problems to stay in power.

He explained that Kano, once one of Nigeria’s richest places, is now filled with many homeless people. He said that people are now forced to sleep on streets and under bridges because poverty and insecurity have gotten worse.

Atiku was also upset about a government agency in Kano. This group was supposed to help homeless people, but it was told to stop helping. Atiku said this shows the government wants to keep people poor and struggling to maintain control.

Atiku also said he supports groups that oppose the current government. He said, “You may call me a troublemaker, but we joined together to stop the government from using poverty as a weapon.”

Rotimi Amaechi, who also spoke at the event, said poverty is making crime and insecurity worse in Nigeria. He pointed out that hunger affects everyone, no matter their tribe or religion.

Amaechi told Nigerians that their vote is powerful. He encouraged people to use their voting rights to remove leaders who are not helping the country. “The power belongs to the people, not the politicians,” he said.

Both Atiku and Amaechi used the event to criticize the government’s poor handling of the economy. They called for honest leadership and big changes to improve the lives of Nigerians.