A former presidential candidate Pat Utomi says President Muhammadu Buhari and other political officeholders do not have compassion for the suffering of Nigerians.

“The challenge is how do you redeem the people? It starts with two things, intellect and compassion,” Mr Utomi told Channels Television on Sunday.

The professor of political economy accused Mr Buhari and others of lacking empathy regarding Nigerians’ insufferable situation.

“How can we be flying presidential planes everywhere as if they are ‘kabu-kabu’ and we have people hungry, starving?” he said. “How can we be so relaxed when our neighbours are dying? That’s not compassion. You see it in the actions of the leaders. That’s where the starting point is.” 

Mr Utomi’s excoriation came amid worsening economic hardship, insecurity and poverty since Mr Buhari assumed office in 2015.

In March, the World Bank said millions of Nigerians plunged into poverty under the Buhari-led government used “dangerous strategies” to cope with poverty. 

Last December, Mr Utomi lamented Nigeria was the most miserable place on earth.

“The truth of the matter is that this is the most miserable place to live on earth today; all the statistics say so,” he had insisted. “Poverty rules the land but do you see it reflected in the lives of the political class? No, you don’t. Today, we have overtaken India in terms of the total number of the poorest people on the planet.”