Fayose made the remarks in a video shared on his official Facebook page on Sunday while reacting to the lavish wedding ceremony of popular Nigerian content creators Peller and Jarvis, which drew celebrities, business figures and influencers from across the country.
Reflecting on scenes outside the event, Fayose claimed that the number of people gathered on the streets seeking assistance exceeded those invited to the ceremony, describing it as a reflection of the growing economic challenges facing many Nigerians.
Congratulating the newlyweds before addressing the state of the economy, he said:
“Jarvis and Peller, congratulations to you. I saw many good people there but I saw more of the area boys on the street. The area boys are even more than the guests.
“That shows that there is a massive hunger in the land. I saw the area boys running after cars humbling themselves and accepting their fate that they are born to be hungry.”
Fayose also took issue with a recent comment by President Tinubu in which the President reportedly stated that hunger had existed long before his birth. According to the businessman, the current administration has not done enough to address the worsening cost-of-living crisis.
He said:
“Our President came out and said that before he was born, there was hunger. Now the hunger has tripled.
“There is no hunger in the UK and US but in his own dictionary, Tinubu said hunger has been there so why did he force himself into power to re-enthrone and reinforce hunger?
“Tinubu doesn’t have an idea of how to talk to the masses these days. No economic strategy to tackle this hunger in the land.
“Hungry man in Nigeria is no longer angry, we are too hungry to be angry. People are completely enslaved by this APC government.
“An election is coming and they are forming City Boy and Mama’s boy, but people that are hungry are not forming anything.”
Fayose's comments add to the growing public debate over the country's economic conditions, with concerns over inflation, the rising cost of living and declining purchasing power continuing to dominate national discourse.
The Presidency has consistently defended the administration's economic reforms, maintaining that current policies are aimed at stabilising the economy and delivering long-term benefits despite the short-term challenges experienced by many Nigerians.