The Labour Party’s 2023 Lagos State governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has expressed deep concern over the widespread food queues and stampedes witnessed across Nigeria during the festive season.
According to Rhodes-Vivour, the incidents highlight the severe economic challenges many Nigerians face under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Rhodes-Vivour stated that he had never witnessed such levels of desperation for food in his adult life.
He described the scenes as a clear indicator of the growing hardship affecting everyday Nigerians.
“You can have a macroeconomic plan, but you must also consider the shock it will create on the ground,” Rhodes-Vivour said. “What did you put in place to cushion this impact?”
His remarks come on the heels of multiple reports of stampedes at food distribution events across the country. In Anambra State, at least 20 residents of the Okija community lost their lives during a rice distribution event.
Similarly, over 35 individuals, mostly children, died in a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In Abuja, the nation’s capital, another stampede led to the recovery of dead bodies, further underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Rhodes-Vivour criticized the government’s lack of accountability for promised relief measures, including cash transfers and food distribution programs.
“Monies that were supposed to be transferred disappeared without trace or accountability. At one point, food distribution efforts led to stampedes,” he noted.
The Labour Party chieftain called for better planning and accountability in implementing economic reforms.
While he acknowledged the importance of macroeconomic adjustments, he emphasized the need for robust measures to protect vulnerable Nigerians from their adverse effects.
“People were queuing for food as early as 3 a.m. for places scheduled to open at 9 a.m. That level of desperation shows the hardship Nigerians are enduring,” he lamented.