President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerian youths to cancel their planned protest and await the government's response to their concerns.
Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents yesterday following a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
He said the president is attentive to the voices of young Nigerians and is working diligently to address their grievances.
The minister said, "We also discussed the issue of the country generaly and Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.
"Mr President, he listens to them; he takes what they say seriously and he is working assiduously to ensure that this country is good, not just for today but also for the future.
"The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that; he asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await government's response to all their pleas."
The minister highlighted recent developments to underscore the government's commitment to addressing national issues.
He listed the developments to include the National Assembly's swift passage of the National Minimum Wage Bill, transmitted just a day prior; distribution of grains and rice to state governments to alleviate food insecurity; launch of a student loan programme to ensure access to higher education regardless of financial background and plans for a post-NYSC support scheme for unemployed graduates.
Idris stressed that these initiatives are part of Tinubu's broader vision for an inclusive government that leaves no one behind.
"The whole idea is that no one is left behind. It is an all-inclusive government, and the president is determined to ensure that no one is left behind in this attempt to march Nigeria towards progress," the minister said.
IGP Talks Tough, Says Timing Wrong
For his part, inspector-general of police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun warned that the proposed protest billed for next week is Ill-advised and should be jettisoned.
Speaking at a strategic meeting with top police management in Abuja yesterday, the IGP said the protest is aimed at replicating what happened in Kenya recently, which is not to the best interest of Nigerians.
While warning that the Force will not sit back and watch hoodlums cause destruction across the country, the IGP said he had deployed officers and men of the Force to ensure the protection of life and properties.
He, however, said the Nigeria Police Force will continue to accord Nigerians the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in the constitution, and that the police is prepared for the protest and will respond in the most professional manner.
Meanwhile, the FCT commissioner of police, CP Bennett Igweh has urged natives and residents of the territory not to participate in the nationwide protest.
The commissioner also said the command had made considerable efforts, including the loss of some of its personnel, to ensure the protection of lives and property within the FCT.
He said, "The protest could jeopardize some of our efforts and potentially lead to unrest and disruptions in the territory.
"We are deeply concerned about the security of law-abiding citizens and their properties. Therefore, we are making a heartfelt plea for residents not to partake in the protest.
"Furthermore, the government is addressing the economic challenges and is implementing measures to provide relief and support to the population. By refraining from participating in the protest, residents can help maintain peace and stability, allowing the government to focus on its initiatives aimed at alleviating the current hardships."
Direct Protest At Govs, LG Chairmen - Rivers' APC
On its part, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has told Nigerians to pour their anger on governors and local government councils chairmen as President Tinubu has done his best by making adequate resources available to leaders at the state and grassroots levels.
Speaking with journalists at the party's National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, APC Caretaker Committee chairman for Rivers State, Tony Okocha, admitted that hardship was a global concern and absolved President Tinubu from being responsible for the situation in the country.
Okocha urged Nigerians to hold the state governors and local government chairmen accountable for the present hardship faced in the country and to ask them how they were managing the huge allocation accruing to the states in meeting the needs of the people.
He said: "Let the truth be told. Let us face reality here. What is the reason for the planned protest? The reason for the planned protest as I heard is that there is hunger in the land. Is President Tinubu the architect of hunger in the land? Why are we not demonstrating and protesting against our governors?
"In my time as the Chief of Staff we had allocation to the tune of N6.6billion monthly. That was the maximum we got. But Rivers State today is coasting home to more than N28 billion from federal allocation. So, what happens?
"The removal of fuel subsidy brought in money to the system. And the President didn't put the money in his pocket; he is giving out. When these monies are given to the states, do they think the President should also come and administer their use?"
Speaking on the proposed nationwide protest, the APC leader called on all patriotic Nigerians not to heed the call for the action, insisting that there was no justification for the action.
"As a party in Rivers State and patriotic citizens of Nigeria, we would like to seize this opportunity to caution against the planned protest by people I call failed politicians.
"They cannot destroy the APC or the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We should support the President as he is determined to move Nigeria forward. It will take time, but the process is in place.
"We should not compare Nigeria to Kenya or Sudan. The circumstances and indices are different, and our population cannot be compared to those countries. Encouraging protests will only lead to chaos. We advise Nigerians not to join or support what I call failed politicians who think they can destroy the APC or the President."
He also said APC leaders in the state do not know the current political party of the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, adding that the former governor does not identify with APC again.
He specifically said Amaechi had warned the state secretary of APC never to send an invite for any meeting to him again.
On whether FCT Minister Nyesom Wike influences decisions of Rivers State APC, Okocha said: "When I hear this I laugh because Wike is a member of PDP, unrepentant PDP. We are APC here. Will anybody suggest that because Mr. Wike is a minister under our government of APC we should be at daggers drawn with him?
"Wike doesn't attend our meetings. I have briefed you here; we have held meetings of stakeholders, Wike was never there. So at what point does he influence APC in Rivers State? His influence, as much as you know, is because he is minister under an APC government, so we can't be in enmity with him. But to say that he influences us, how? What does he do, he pays our bills? Or he attends our meetings? The answer is no."
Former Student Leaders Urge More Pro-people Reforms
Also yesterday, a group, Former National Association of Nigeria Students Leaders' Forum (FNANSLF) called for targeted policies to address Nigeria's escalating inflation and economic instability.
At a media briefing with the theme, "State of the Nation" held in Abuja yesterday, the forum called for measures to stabilise the naira, control food prices, and subsidise essential goods.
The forum underscored the necessity of improved roads, reliable power supply, and enhanced security to boost agricultural yield and industrialisation.
On the widespread calls for a nationwide protest, the forum, led by the national convener, a former NANS president 1999/2000, Comrade Tijani Kabiru acknowledged the deep public frustration over the high cost of living, inadequate healthcare, and lack of viable livelihoods.
The forum stressed the need for consistent and transparent policies, properly communicated to the public, to build investor confidence and promote economic stability. They emphasised that the government owes its citizens adequate security, which is necessary for socio-economic growth, peace, and a stable democracy.
Key recommendations from the forum included strengthening security in rural areas, subsidising Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion rate to reduce transportation costs, and adopting policies to stabilise the naira.
They also advocated for transparency and accountability in government interventions.
The forum expressed empathy with Nigerians and expressed commitment to engaging with stakeholders to address these pressing issues.
They commended certain government policies, such as the Students' Loan program and the temporary removal of import duties on essential food items, while expressing concerns over the impact of fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification on inflation and poverty.
Obi Threatens Onanuga With N5bn Suit
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has demanded the special adviser on Communication and Strategy to the President, Mr. Bayo Onanuga to retract his wild allegation or face a N5 billion court case.
Obi said it was unthinkable that Onanuga would link him to the planned mass protest billed for August.
The presidential spokesperson had on July 20, 2024, claimed in his X handle @aonanuga1956 that "Peter Ob's supporters are the people planning mayhem in Nigeria and that Obi should be held responsible for anarchy".
Through his counsel, Chief Alex Ejesieme (SAN) of the MADIBA Chambers, Obi said the allegation which was widely published in social and mainstream media and read by many within and outside the country maligned his hard-earned reputation and cast him as a man who indulges in violence, when all his antecedents show that he abhors violence even in the face of extreme provocation.
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"It's our client's conviction that the publication was a calculated plot to demean, ridicule, humiliate and embarrass him in the estimation of every right-thinking member of the society."
The letter said that the allegation may have achieved its motive as well-wishers from all around the globe had inundated Obi with calls and messages to register their shock.
"His appellation as 'Okwute' (the Rock) notwithstanding, the demeaning and scandalous publication has also caused a serious emotional injury to our client given his decades of stellar stewardship in private and public life.
"Consequently, we have our clients mandate to demand that you retract the statement made in the publication and tender an unreserved apology to him within 72 hours of the receipt of this letter in not less than four national dailies to wit: Vanguard, THISDAY, Punch and the Cable, including your verified X"@aonanuga1956.
"Our client is also making an unequivocal demand for the monetary damages of N5 billion for the embarrassment your defamatory publication has caused him and his family".
The letter said if Onanuga fails to meet the demands, Obi will be constrained to approach a court of competent jurisdiction and take legal action against Onanuga for defamation and libel.
Atiku Cautions Against Suppression Of Peaceful Protest
On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said any attempt to suppress the right to peaceful protest is unconstitutional and a direct affront to democracy.
He said a responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.
Atiku, who stated this on his X handle, said it is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and affirmed by our courts. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.
"Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government."
