Nigerians Are Not Beggars – Atiku Slams Tinubu Govt Over Rice Palliatives

Nigerians Are Not Beggars – Atiku Slams Tinubu Govt Over Rice Palliatives

Atiku is not happy, and he's not keeping quiet about it. The former Vice President and one-time presidential candidate has slammed the Tinubu government over how they're handling palliatives, specifically the rice distribution that has been making headlines. His words? Nigerians are not beggars.

According to Atiku, giving people bags of rice here and there is not a solution to the country's problems, it's a temporary fix, a bandage on a deep wound, and worse than that, it reduces proud Nigerians to the status of beggars waiting for handouts. He's asking a valid question: where is the long-term plan? Where are the policies that will create jobs, reduce the cost of living, and put money in people's pockets so they can buy their own rice without depending on the government?

The Tinubu government has been rolling out palliatives, including rice distribution, to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal and other economic hardships, and they say they're trying to help, that something is better than nothing. But Atiku is not buying it. He argues that Nigerians don't need handouts, they need opportunities, a government that creates an environment where businesses can thrive, where young people can find work, where a man can wake up, go to work, and feed his family without stressing about where the next meal will come from.

Reactions have been divided. Some Nigerians agree with Atiku, saying the palliatives are insulting because a bag of rice every few months is not going to solve anything when rent is due, school fees are piling up, and transport costs have doubled, they want real change, not token gestures. Others say Atiku is being unfair, that the government is trying within limited resources, and that any help no matter how small is better than nothing. A few people are pointing out the irony, asking Atiku if he did better when he was in government. Politics aside, Atiku has touched on something real, many Nigerians feel like they're being given crumbs while the people at the top live large, and they want a government that respects them enough to offer real solutions, not charity.