Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has criticised the current economic situation in the country, saying that it cannot be time for politicking when the people are hungry.

The former Vice President said this on Monday when he joined the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late former Governor of Niger State, Engr. Abdulkadir Kure, in Minna.

Abubakar said the death of Kure is a personal loss.

When he was asked by newsmen how prepared he was for the 2019 elections, Abubakar said: “Who is talking about 2019 now when there is no food on the table?

“People are hungry.”

Abubakar said Kure was a friend, a colleague, a brother and a compatriot, adding: “His death is a personal loss to me.

“The kind of pious life he lived will definitely earn him Aljuanna fidau.”

Earlier, Saraki while speaking on the Boko Haram insurgency, said: “Fighting terrorism is not a thing that can end in one point‎, but the government will restore life back to the North Eastern part of the country.

“A lot of progress has been made in the country against insurgency.

“We have put mechanisms in place to stop them, even though there are sporadic attacks here and there, that will not stop us from doing what we are doing‎ to ensure that lives are protected.

“We will restore life back to the North East‎.

“Our military men should be congratulated on what they have achieved so far.

“Fighting terrorism is not a thing that can end in one point.

“There are processes that should be put in place to safeguard the lives of the people.”

Amongst those in the Senate team were the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu; former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Senators Philip Ajuda, David Umaru, Mustapha Bello, Sabi Abdullahi; and the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Nuhu Gidado.