Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned that Nigerians may face thiamine deficiency if the federal government continues to view economic hardship solely through the lens of distributing rice. Shaibu, who serves as Atiku’s Public Communications aide, criticized the federal government for its lack of sensitivity toward the economic struggles of Nigerians, which he attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s policies.
On his X handle, Shaibu expressed his disappointment, stating: “It’s unfortunate that the federal government has chosen rice as the sole remedy for the various economic challenges caused by President Bola Tinubu’s policies.”
He wrote, “Did every aide of President Bola Tinubu miss the basic lessons from primary school? I remember a teacher explaining how a diet focused on white rice could lead to Beriberi, a condition caused by thiamine deficiency.
“Yet, here we are, facing this strange logic: No power? Serve rice. No fuel? More rice. Bad governance? A bag of rice. Floods? Rice again. High electricity tariffs? You guessed it—rice.
“This pattern has to stop. At the very least, add ‘ewa oloyin’ (honey beans) to the rice to prevent Beriberi among our people.”