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Political economist Pat Utomi has directly criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of deliberately worsening the economic hardship experienced by citizens.
“APC govt is hell-bent on making life a living hell for Nigerians!” Utomi wrote in a post on his X handle on Thursday.
Utomi made the comment in response to recent comments by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, who advised citizens to adjust their lifestyles and live within their means.
Utomi rejected the premise that Nigerians are living extravagantly, pointing instead to the prohibitive cost of basic items.
“You would think you were being careless with your money, but all you did was buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of Coke. The majority of Nigerians are not living extravagant lives, things are just ridiculously expensive,” he stated.
Issa-Onilu made his comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm programme, suggesting that citizens should manage their electricity use and align their spending with their financial capacity.
“You must have travelled abroad. You don’t go to anybody’s house as we speak, who has gone to work and you see the AC working or you see the light on,” Issa-Onilu said, adding that Nigerians need to “adjust” to living within their means.
The exchange comes amid elevated prices for food, fuel, and electricity following economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration since 2023.
You would think you were being careless with your money, but all you did was buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of Coke. The majority of Nigerians are not living extravagant lives, things are just ridiculously expensive and the APC govt is hell-bent on making life a living hell for Nigerians!
— Pat Utomi (@UtomiPat) October 29, 2026
