Reactions have continued to trail criticism by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, over the distribution of rice and cash support to northern states by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
Atiku had faulted the intervention, comprising 100 trucks of rice and ₦1.2 billion, describing it as a politicisation of hardship rather than a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions.
The initiative, which targets vulnerable households across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, has since sparked widespread debate on X (formerly Twitter), with users expressing divergent views.
Some users aligned with Atiku’s position, arguing that the palliative fails to address underlying economic challenges.
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An X user, @NaijaPolicyWatch, wrote: “You can’t fix systemic hunger with handouts. We need agricultural reform and security, not seasonal rice distribution.”
Similarly, @ZainabSpeaks stated that “₦1.2bn sounds big, but spread across millions, it’s almost nothing. Nigerians deserve long-term solutions, not optics.”
Others, however, defended the First Lady’s intervention, describing it as timely and necessary given current hardship.
User @ArewaVoiceNG posted: “People are hungry now. Policy reforms take time. There’s nothing wrong with helping vulnerable families during Sallah.”
Another user, @TundeWrites, said, “Criticism is valid, but dismissing palliatives entirely ignores the immediate needs of struggling Nigerians.”
A section of users also took a middle-ground stance, urging the government to combine relief efforts with structural reforms.
@CivicLensNG wrote, “Both things can be true—palliatives help short term, but we urgently need policies that bring down food prices and inflation.”
