ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu said yesterday no government will condone protests that would lead to destruction of lives and property.
He also had separate meetings with governors elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, and traditional rulers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, all in effort to stave off the protest.
Before the President met with APC governors, they (governors) had warned against the protest, pleading with organisers to shelve it, given the already tense situation in the country.
The President’s declaration came on a day the Department of State Services, DSS, warned against the nationwide protest over the hardship in the country, just as Defence Headquarters, DHQ, also expressed concern over the possibility of the protest being hijacked by violent elements.
It also said intelligence reports had shown that there is a plot to replicate in the country what happened in Kenya.
However, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, said though it would not be participating in the protest, the Police must protect the protesters to prevent hoodlums from hijacking it and also asked President Tinubu to review his government’s policy of floating the naira.
According to the labour movement, the flotation of the naira is partly responsible for the harsh economic conditions in the country.
But the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, also yesterday, directed its 104 affiliated youth organizations to remain on standby in preparation for the nationwide protest slated to start on August 1.
President Tinubu, who spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he received Letters of Credence from the newly appointed United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Mills, Jr., said: “Our relationship with America is rich. We believe in democracy and freedom. Some of your predecessors worked hard during our transition to democracy, and we remember the likes of Ambassador Howard Jeter.
‘’We look forward to Nigeria and the United States continuously working to expand cooperation on shared goals and democratic values.
‘’During the military era, we made our voices heard against dictatorship, and I was part of the group that engaged in peaceful protests without resorting to the destruction of property.
‘’We have worked hard to ensure 25 years of unbroken democracy and I will continue to maintain this democracy.
“In as much as we believe that demonstrations are part of democracy, we will never encourage any protests that lead to the destruction of lives and property.
“Nigeria is ready to play its role as the largest democracy in Africa that is worthy of emulation to other African countries, but we need more US partnership on the continent that is beneficial to both sides. We believe in freedom, and we are providing the leadership to make Nigeria’s economy grow.’’
Ambassador Mills affirmed US support for Nigeria’s democracy, and pledged support for bigger roles for Nigeria in the international arena.
“Nigeria is crucial to the United States because we share democratic values, and we are ready to give you all the support.
“I am here to make sure that the relationship blossoms both on democracy and the economic side,” Ambassador Mills said.
Tinubu meets APC govs in Aso Rock
Similarly, President Tinubu yesterday met with the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Though the agenda of the meeting could not be confirmed officially, it was, however, said to be in connection with the planned nationwide protest.
Chairman of the PGF and governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, led the team of governors to the President’s office, along with Chairman of the Nigeria’s Governors Forum, Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman of Kwara State.
Also sighted was the reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu; Bassey Otu, (Cross River); Benue State Governor, Fr Hycinth Alia; Uba Sani of Kaduna State; and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, among others.
Also spotted were the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, his colleague in Budget & Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, respectively.
The meeting came after an earlier meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, which held on Wednesday night and after the cancellation of the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting earlier scheduled for yesterday.
Tinubu meets traditional rulers
The President also had a separate meeting with traditional rulers at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President’s meeting with the monarchs is the second meeting he was having with them in the wake of calls for protest on the August 1.
The meeting was attended by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, members of the President’s cabinet; the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyar, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, among others.
In attendance were the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, Ooni Of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Dein Of Agbor, His Royal Majesty Benjamin Ikenchukwu, Keagborekuzi I.
Don’t allow it to be hijacked, Ooni tells organizers
Speaking after the meeting, the Ooni of Ife, cautioned the youths planning to embark on national protest not to allow it to be hijacked by miscreants but noted that they had the civic rights to protest.
He said: “People that are out there to protest, it is their civic right, but let them put a face to it and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives. That is our stand.
“We are parents, we are traditional rulers, we are closer to them, we are going back home to continue to engage them (the youths).
“It is very difficult to build, but it is easier to destroy. We are all stakeholders of this country, we should be stronger as a nation together than individually.
“The President has said it and he will continue to say it, any leader that you don’t like, wait and vote him out. He is open to dialogue. We know that challenges are so many in Nigeria, we know that, but are we going to destroy our nation by ourselves? Is that what we are all after?
“We should talk to ourselves. It is important for us to know that today, it is a completely different spin. The government, ably led by the President, is willing to engage and dialogue and bring governance very close to the people.”
Asked what the meeting with the President was all about, he said: “Today (Thursday), it is a new twist and a new spin from the political leadership of our dear country. For the very first time, the traditional rulers were properly engaged in terms of the plans of government and governance, their achievements so far, and where they are having challenges.
“This is long awaited. We have been waiting for it but today, we are very excited because we are closer to our people and we can bring those feedbacks back home.’’
Dein of Agbor
Also speaking to journalists, the Dein of Agbor, advised the young ones not to do anything that would destroy the country.
He said the power and strength of the country laid in the youth and pleaded that those planning the August 1, national protest give the traditional rulers the opportunity to work with government to address their grievances.
He said: “The take-home message for me, hearing from Mr. President directly, I can see the passion. But at the same time, I think the government is finally understanding we are at the precipice.
“Our youths are our future and I think today, we have demonstrated that the government, with the officials, do have the hearts of the nation in our minds, we will listen to our youths because they lead the future.
“The power, the strength of Nigeria is certainly with the young people. We feel your pain, I’m a young person myself. It has been 24 years I have been back and it has been 24 years that I have started seeing the nation going in a very unpalatable direction.
“I’ll ask you to think of Libya. Libya was a beautiful country, what has happened to Libya? We don’t want it to happen here. Let’s go home, let’s continue to strive the best that we can and continue to work with government to see if we can proffer some solutions. I think that would be best rather than destroy property or injure ourselves.”
Emir of Zazzau
On his part, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, said: “The message we are taking back to our people is to be calm, exercise patience, also listen to the words of wisdom coming from the government.
“The President has given us the blueprint of what he has been doing over time and we are hopeful that by God’s grace, it will be alright.’’
Asked how worried the traditional institution is about the protest, the monarch said: “There is nobody that will not be worried about the protest, in any place in the world and we have seen what has happened in other climes and governments were brought down.
“As an ex-diplomat, I have seen what happened in other climes. So we are calling on our people to exercise patience and listen to the words of wisdom. We are very optimistic that Nigeria will bounce back to its former position as the leading country in Africa.”
DSS identifies sponsors, warns against action
The agency said it had already identified the sponsors of the planned protest and warned them not to proceed with it as it is not in the nation’s interest.
Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications of the agency, Dr. Peter Afunanya, warned in a statement issued yesterday, that it has intelligence that the planned protest would be hijacked by hoodlums to cause chaos and extreme violence in the country.
The statement alleged that the goal of the planners was to cause regime change, especially at the centre.
It read: “The DSS has followed the discourse on planned protests in parts of the country in the coming weeks by persons and groups yet to identify themselves in the public as leaders of the plot.
“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land. It has also identified the reason behind the protest to be political.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments; make them unpopular and pit them against the masses. The long-term objective is to achieve a regime change, especially at the centre.
“The service has also identified, among others, the funding lines, sponsors and collaborators of the plot. However, it does not think that aggression should be the first line of action in the instance, in handling the emerging scenario.
‘’It has instead, variously applied non-kinetic and conflict resolution strategies, including moral suasion, stakeholder engagement and other multi-track diplomatic shuttles, to dissuade the planners from actualising their undesirable objective.
“Based on the foregoing, the service wishes to warn all the protest groups to eschew any form of proposed rage, anarchy and spoilation.
“While the different levels of government have routinely explained their agenda to ameliorate alleged harsh economic conditions, the service urges the prospective protesters to listen to the voice of reason, good conscience and patiently engage with the authorities, in the interest of peace.
“This has become important, given that violence begets the destruction of lives and property as well as serve as a distraction to governance. The agitators are encouraged to use ample ways available to them to channel their grievances without resorting to violence.
“The service calls on people of goodwill, leaders of thought, captains of industry, labour unions, student associations, youth leaders, the civil society, clergy, NGOs, women groups, civil servants and politicians to shun any invitation to participate in any orchestrated violence, deliberately designed to cause disaffection in the country.
“Similarly, parents, guardians, heads of traditional and academic institutions are respectively urged to advise their children, wards, subjects and students not to take part in the planned protest. Let us all join hands to build a nation without rancour, bitterness or stained banners.
“The service will work with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to maintain peace.
It will, where necessary, apply all legitimate methods to achieve this.’’
Intelligence reports has shown protest’ll lead to violence, anarchy, DHQ warns.
On its part, defence headquarters, DHQ, also yesterday, warned against the protest, saying it could be hijacked by violent elements, according to its intelligence report.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who made this known at a briefing in Abuja, said the planned protest bore similarities to violent and unresolved events in Kenya, adding that “there are strong indicators that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the process, leading to anarchy.’’
He, however, declared that the military will not allow the nation to descend into chaos and will take action to prevent violent occurrences.
He said: “The protest aims to show you what is happening in Kenya. And I would add that what is happening in Kenya in terms of the protest is one, violence; two, it remains unresolved as we speak now.
“Based on what has been gathered, there are plans by some unscrupulous elements to hijack this protest and make sure it turns violent. When it turns violent, I want to tell you what we have seen as it would likely happen.
“The constitution is clear on the military’s role and involvement. Citizens have the right to peaceful protest, but not to mobilize for anarchy and unleash terror.”
He cited potential targets, including individuals with basic possessions, places of worship, businesses, and markets.
General Buba urged citizens to recognize the unique circumstances surrounding this protest and called for calm.
He said government should be allowed to address the situation and restore national prosperity.
Don’t be instigated to cause chaos in your country, APC govs tell youths
Reacting to the propsed protest yesterday, governors elected on the platform of the APC, appealed to youths to refrain from joining the planned nationwide protest.
The governors spoke on Wednesday night after a meeting that lasted over two hours in Abuja.
Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo and chairman of the APC Governors Forum, said the federal government was doing everything possible to address the economic hardship in the country.
He said: “Among other things, we are very committed to the support we have given to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our president and the leader of our party.
“We have looked at the various policies of this government, and we acknowledge a teething problem associated with the initial stage of the programme and agree that because we are very hopeful, it is also the solution to the current problem and economic hardship that have befallen our country.
‘’In a very short time, we are confident that the situation would be restored. Prosperity would come at the end of the day.
“We use this opportunity to advise our young boys and girls, young men and women, to desist from being instigated into causing crisis or chaos in the country.
“We want to advise that our citizens must take ownership of this country. We have no other country we can call our own. It is not wise at this moment for youths or any group to protest in whatever guise.”
We’re not part of August 1 protest — TUC
On its part, TUC, said it was not part of the planned national protest over hardships and hunger scheduled to take place on August 1.
The TUC also said it was the constitutional right of any Nigeria that had any grievances to protest and advised the police and other security agencies not to intimidate those participating in the action as it was their civic rights to do so.
President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, who stated this while fielding questions from journalists after briefing on the state of the nation, said nobody has contacted the union to secure partnership for the planned protest, adding that for the mere fact that nobody had sought the collaboration with TUC didn’t mean Nigerians could not protest if they wished to do so.
He said: “But nobody has asked for our collaboration. We don’t even know those that want to protest. So how do you expect us to participate in the protest we don’t even know who is organizing it?
“We don’t even have any idea whatsoever, what is going to happen. So as an institution, we also know too, that we have various organs. The leadership has never sat down one day on its own to call for a strike or protest but instead, we call organs meetings to do a review.
“So the question is, who is protesting? So the same way you saw it is the same way we are seeing it. So it is something we don’t really know who is organizing.
“The Police Act also mandated the Police that when there is a protest, it should ensure there is law and order, it should ensure that those that are protesting are also protected. And that is why we are also reminding them of that provision in the Police Act.’’
Comrade Osifo said the nation’s economic challenges were affecting both the macro and micro-economy due to the fiscal and monetary policies of government, adding that “the floating of naira was principally responsible for the challenges we are having.”
FCT unavailable for Aug 1 protests — Wike
Also, Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, declared yesterday that the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, will not be available for the planned nationwide protests.
Wike, made the declaration after a meeting of the FCT Security Council in Abuja, and had earlier in the day inspected a road project in Saburi, a community on the Kubwa Expressway, where he told residents not to join “armed robbers” for any protest.
He said: “Don’t go and follow these armed robbers on the road who said they want to protest. There is nothing like protests. Abuja won’t be part of it. What you want is good governance and we are willing to give you good governance.’
Speaking further, he said: “We are all aware of the threat as regards to what some people may call ‘End bad governance protest’. We believe that yes, we have right to protest; we have right to demonstrate, but all these have to come within the ambit of the law.
“This period, we think all Nigerians should work collectively in order to salvage our country. I am aware there are challenges, and Mr President and his team are working very hard to make sure those challenges, those problems facing our country are solved. We know that it is a very difficult period for citizens.
“We urge all Nigerians to also have patience, that at the end of the day, we will come out of this economic woes. We have seen the changes in the FCT, we have seen that government is working. Mr President has given FCT so much support, and that is why all of us can attest to the fact that there are a lot of changes going on in the FCT.
‘’Therefore, we will not allow anybody to set us back, as we are looking forward to making sure we take FCT to where it is supposed to be, as one of the major cities not only in Africa, but also in the world.’’
Shelve planned strike for sake of economy, Kalu tells youths
Relatedly, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, called on the youths to shelve plans to hold a national protest, saying such action will affect the economy immensely.
He said though it is within the rights of every Nigerian to protest, embarking on such exercise now would have huge effects on the country.
Kalu, a former governor of Abia State and immediate past Chief Whip of the Senate, said “while embarking on national protest may be beneficial to our democracy, it is not expedient to our economy.
‘’I am appealing to our youths to consider suspending the planned August protest to save possible damage and liabilities on the country’s infrastructure and private businesses.”
NYCN directs 104 affiliate youth organizations to stand by
Meanwhile, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, has directed its 104 affiliated youth organizations to remain on standby in preparation for the highly anticipated August 1st nationwide protests,
It also announced intensifying nationwide consultations with stakeholders across board.
This was contained in a communiqué released yesterday after an emergency meeting of the National Executive, 36 state chairmen, and other stakeholders.
The communique read: “On July 24, 2024, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, convened a crucial meeting with its national executive, 36 state chairmen, and other key stakeholders to deliberate on the state of the nation and the looming nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, 2024.
“The meeting was held via Zoom and lasted for several hours addressed the urgent concerns of Nigerian youths and the overall socio-economic and political climate of the country.
“NYCN leaders acknowledged that the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria, including rising inflation, insecurity, unemployment, and the general hardship experienced by citizens, particularly the youth, have reached alarming levels.
“These issues have sparked widespread agitation and calls for a nationwide protest. The NYCN, as the umbrella body representing over 100 youth organizations across the country, recognizes the urgency of these matters and the need for a coordinated response.’’
- Culled from Vanguard
