‘Cancel proposed hardship protest, I’ve heard your grievances’ – Tinubu tells youths
President Bola Tinubu urges Nigerians to refrain from organizing the scheduled ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest set for next month.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris, speaking to selected State House correspondents following a meeting with the President on Tuesday, relayed that Tinubu had encouraged the organisers of the protest to put their plans on hold and await the President’s forthcoming response to their grievances.
“The President does not perceive a necessity for the planned protest. He has requested them to suspend their plans and await the government’s response to their demands,” the minister stated.
A nationwide protest against economic hardship, gaining momentum on social media, is scheduled to take place in August across all states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The organizers, who remain anonymous, have sparked widespread interest.
In recent months, prices of food and essential goods have skyrocketed amidst one of Nigeria’s severest inflation and economic crises, attributed to government policies such as petrol subsidy removal and forex window unification.
The Federal Government, alongside the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigeria Police Force, and the House of Representatives, has issued warnings against the planned demonstration.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Senator Ali Ndume have called on the President to address the grievances of the dissatisfied individuals, predominantly youths.
In contrast, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga cautioned on Saturday that the proposed protest, if carried out, could escalate into property damage akin to the aftermath of the EndSARS protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
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