More Nigerians are poor today than 1960 population – El-Rufai

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has lamented the worsening poverty rate in Nigeria, insisting that there are now more poor Nigerians than the country’s total population at independence in 1960.

Speaking at an interactive session in Owerri, Imo State, tagged “Moving Forward Together”, El-Rufai argued that unlike China and India, which have made progress in eradicating mass poverty, Nigeria lacks a coherent master plan.

“It is deeply embarrassing that, judging from the population estimate in 1960, there are now more poor Nigerians than there were Nigerians at independence 65 years ago,” he said.

He urged the federal government to prioritise pragmatic and ambitious economic programmes rather than creating more agencies, stressing that citizens need policies that reward productivity while discouraging rent-seeking.

El-Rufai also raised concerns over declining voter turnout, noting that participation in presidential elections has dropped from 60% in 2003 to less than 30% in 2023.

He called for elite consensus to restore trust in the electoral process through electronic voting and real-time transmission of results by 2027.

The former governor further advocated for true federalism, arguing that Nigeria’s over-centralised governance structure has stifled socio-economic development.

He urged the devolution of more powers and resources to states, including policing.

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Imo State and clerics at the Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri, condemned the disruption of the Odenigbo Lecture during El-Rufai’s visit, describing the incident as an attack on democracy and the church.

In a related development, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) criticised opposition leaders including El-Rufai, Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, accusing them of failing to provide credible leadership and direction for their parties.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, maintained that opposition figures prefer blame games and power struggles over building viable alternatives, stressing that effective leadership is essential for Nigeria’s democracy.