I Never Called Nigerian Youths Lazy, Yari Clarifies

BY GABI HIBBATULLAH, Abuja

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, has denied describing Nigerian youths as lazy, dismissing reports circulating in sections of the media and on social media as a distortion of his remarks at the party’s rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Yari clarified through a statement signed by a former governorship aspirant in Zamfara State, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, in response to reactions to his comments at the rally held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Friday.

The former Zamfara State governor was quoted as saying that hunger in Nigeria is caused not only by the government but also by laziness among Nigerians.

“You are hungry because you are lazy. If you work hard, you will not be hungry,” Yari was reported to have said.

But according to Shinkafi’s statement, Yari spoke about hunger, food availability and the cost of living during his address and acknowledged the economic challenges facing Nigerians, stating, “we have hunger.”

The statement further noted that Yari subsequently spoke about the availability of food in markets and the importance of hard work in ensuring that individuals and families can provide for themselves.

Shinkafi maintained that Yari did not mention or specifically refer to Nigerian youths in his remarks.

It argued that interpreting his comments as an accusation that Nigerian youths are lazy misrepresents what he actually said.

The statement also urged Nigerians to watch the full, unedited video of the Uyo rally to understand the context of his remarks.

It further acknowledged the economic difficulties confronting many Nigerian households, insisting that Yari’s comments were not intended to dismiss the hardship experienced by citizens.

The clarification comes amid public criticism and debate over the remarks, with calls for political leaders to be sensitive to the economic realities facing young Nigerians.

The statement urged media organisations and commentators who reported that Yari called Nigerian youths lazy to review the full footage and correct any inaccuracies.

It added that Nigerian youths deserve meaningful discussions about employment, skills development and economic opportunities rather than statements taken out of context.