Tinubu Appeals To Nigerians To Cancel Planned Nationwide Protest
President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to cancel the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest scheduled for next month.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris, speaking to selected State House correspondents after a meeting with the President on Tuesday, conveyed Tinubu’s appeal to the protest organisers to await the government’s response to their grievances instead.
“The President sees no need for the planned protest. He’s asked the organisers to cancel their plans and wait for the government’s response to their concerns,” Idris stated.
The protest, driven by economic hardships and gaining momentum on social media, is set to take place across all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The protest organisers have remained anonymous.
Rising food prices and basic commodities have significantly impacted Nigerians, who are enduring one of the country’s worst inflationary periods and economic crises, exacerbated by the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows.
The Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the 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 demands of the dissatisfied citizens, primarily the youth.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga warned on Saturday that the planned protest could lead to the destruction of assets, similar to the outcomes of the EndSARS protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020.
