VIDEO: Help yourselves whenever you see free food – Akpabio tells Nigerians

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has stirred reactions after advising Nigerians to take advantage of free food whenever they come across it.

The comment was made during a recent plenary session in the Red Chamber, where a video captured Akpabio laughing with his colleagues following the remark.

Watch the video below;

His advice comes at a time when Nigerians are grappling with severe economic challenges, largely attributed to policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. One such policy, the removal of the fuel subsidy, has triggered a sharp increase in the cost of living.

In recent weeks, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) raised petrol prices by over 15%, marking the second hike in less than a month. The product now sells for over N1,000 per litre in various parts of the country, intensifying public frustration as many households struggle to cope with the skyrocketing costs of fuel and basic commodities.

Akpabio’s latest comment is not his first to spark controversy. During a conference in July with Niger Delta ethnic groups in Port Harcourt, the Senate President mocked citizens planning to protest against the worsening economic conditions. He had then quipped that while protesters take to the streets, he and other National Assembly members would be “eating.”

“Those who want to protest can protest, but let us be here eating,” the former Akwa Ibom State governor said at the time, drawing widespread criticism for his perceived insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.

As the country continues to feel the effects of Tinubu’s fiscal reforms, Akpabio’s remarks have only fueled public outrage, with many calling for more empathy and action from the country’s leadership during these difficult times.