Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari Denies Calling Nigerian Youths Lazy

Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, denied reports that he described Nigerian youths as lazy during a party rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The controversy follows remarks Yari made on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium regarding hunger and the rising cost of living.

Some reports quoted Yari as saying, "You are hungry because you are lazy. If you work hard, you will not be hungry." However, a clarification statement issued by Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi argued that Yari was discussing the importance of hard work and food availability rather than targeting the youth population.

The statement urged the media and the public to review unedited video footage of the rally to understand the full context. It asserted that the comments were not intended to dismiss the economic hardships currently facing Nigerian citizens.