‘Review your economic policies’ — PDP blames Tinubu administration for stampedes

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the recent stampedes in some parts of the country are “evidence of the misery, poverty, and hunger” that Nigerians are struggling with under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

On Wednesday, over 35 people, mostly children were killed in a stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

On Saturday, two stampede incidents also occurred in Ojika, Ihiala LGA of Anambra and the Maitama area of Abuja during the distribution of rice and other palliative materials.

About 22 persons reportedly lost their lives in the Anambra incident, while 10 residents were confirmed dead in the Abuja stampede.

In a statement on Sunday, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP spokesperson, said it is heartbreaking to see Nigerians die struggling for food, despite the country’s abundant resources.

“The PDP describes the widespread food stampede in the country as an ugly testament to the alarming level of misery, poverty, hunger, starvation, and sense of hopelessness and desperation for survival currently plaguing our nation under the overtly insensitive, corrupt, and rudderless Tinubu-led government,” the statement reads.

“It is heartbreaking that despite our abundant resources as a nation, Nigerians have been subjected to an agonising life where they die struggling for food.”

Ologunagba accused the Tinubu-led administration of disregarding human life, noting that the federal government could have introduced intervention programmes to ease the suffering of the masses.

He said Nigerians should hold the federal government responsible for the incidents.

“The PDP calls on Nigerians to hold the Tinubu-led APC administration responsible for the remote cause of these tragic occurrences for which it must recompense,” he said.

“For the umpteenth time, the PDP demands the immediate review of all the suffocating economic and tax policies of the APC administration, which are bringing misery and death to Nigerians daily.

“PDP condoled with Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, and the families of the deceased while commending him for his swift response to the incident.”