“Shame on you!” Nigerians tear into Dino Melaye after poverty ranking post

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has come under heavy criticism from Nigerians on social media after sharing a graphic claiming that Nigeria now has the highest number of people living in extreme poverty globally.

Melaye had posted on his X handle an infographic titled “Number of People Living in Extreme Poverty by Country (1992–2026),” which ranked Nigeria at the top with 94.7 million people living in extreme poverty, ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo and India.

Rather than sparking sympathy over the country’s economic situation, the post ignited a wave of backlash, with many users accusing the former lawmaker of attempting to score political points while ignoring his own role in Nigeria’s governance.

Several commenters argued that Melaye, who served in the National Assembly for years, had failed to champion meaningful legislation or initiatives capable of reducing poverty while in office.

One X user, identified as @Emiloju60, wrote: “And this is all you could achieve as a senator. Shame on you.”

Another user, @Onosetare, questioned the former senator’s legislative record, asking what laws he sponsored to alleviate poverty during his time in the Senate.

Others accused Melaye of hypocrisy, noting his flamboyant lifestyle while millions of Nigerians struggled economically.

A user, @sirdicking, suggested that the former senator could auction some of his luxury vehicles to help struggling Nigerians instead of merely posting statistics online.

Another commenter, @Bigdbanj, bluntly stated: “You are part of the cause. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

The criticism was not limited to Melaye’s political record. Some users also challenged the credibility of the statistics he shared.

An X user, questioned the source of the figures, arguing that no official 2026 global poverty statistics had been released by the World Bank. The user further alleged that Melaye was using unverified data for political purposes.

Others defended the current administration, insisting that while poverty remains a major national challenge, blaming the present government alone ignored the contributions of previous political officeholders.

An X user, @TKyautah, argued that politicians from Melaye’s era helped create the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians today, while @timelyanalyst dismissed the post as political messaging ahead of future elections.

The exchange highlights the growing public scrutiny of Nigeria’s political elite, with many citizens increasingly demanding accountability not only from those currently in government but also from former public office holders who seek to shape public discourse on the nation’s economic challenges.