₦airaland Forum

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states in August.

As the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for August draws close, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday entered an emergency closed-door meeting with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The high-delegation meeting was held at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The APC governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.

Some first-class traditional rulers were spotted at the meeting with the President. They include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III; and other traditional leaders across the country.

The meeting was also attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; as well as ministers and other members of the President’s cabinet.

A delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) later joined the high-powered meeting with the President.

Last-Minute Efforts
Tinubu, former Lagos governor, who was sworn in as President in May 2023, has appealed to displeased youths to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.

As part of moves to placate aggrieved citizens, the President sent a bill to raise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 to the National Assembly this week. Both chambers of the legislature speedily passed the bill on Tuesday, awaiting the President’s assent.

On Thursday, the military authorities warned that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the protest and use it to stage anarchy like what was recently witnessed in East African country Kenya.
The police had also warned against bloody demonstrations come next month just as Uzodimma surmised that the protest could be hijacked and turn violent like the EndSARS nationwide protest against police brutality back in October 2020.

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.

Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.

Saskay44:
https://www.channelstv.com/2024/07/25/planned-protest-tinubu-sultan-ooni-nsa-igp-in-emergency-meeting/

Beremx:
This protest is really giving Tinubu sleepless nights. Instead of inviting traditional rulers, why can't he do a national broadcast and calm angry Nigerians down? Who are those even advising him?

Na wa o!

papyjaypaul:
I will simply advise this government to take signs from the 2012 protest. That protest destroyed Jonathan's government and no matter what he did, he couldn't recover from it. The President we have today is a thoroughbred politician who likely wants another term. There may be some enemies within who want his political empire to collapse, it's about time he rejigs his cabinet if he wants to survive. You can't keep talking down at Nigerians, change the approach to a more sympathetic one..Nothing beats a hungry and angry man who has nothing to lose in life. They are already jobless and life is no longer hopeful for them. If he wants to renew hope, something new has to be done to show that he is listening. Something new and practical with his team, not the old same thing from his Onanuga and Ministers who are not helping his image rn

Beremx:
This protest is really giving Tinubu sleepless nights. Instead of inviting traditional rulers, why can't he do a national broadcast and calm angry Nigerians down? Who are those even advising him?

Na wa o!

Beremx:
This protest is really giving Tinubu sleepless nights. Instead of inviting traditional rulers, why can't he do a national broadcast and calm angry Nigerians down? Who are those even advising him?

Na wa o!

esrinri:
No Jupiter can save Tinubu from what is coming fa. The hunger is too much is the problem

seborrhic:
Well said,but you are talking to a man everyone has now found out,just like Buhari,is a product of propaganda and lies,about their capacity and integrity.
This protest is easy to either stop or at least curtail to a large extent.
The people to meet are the market unions and transport unions that are the primary sources of inflation,asides the fuel and naira value.Find an emergency way to drastically bring down prices of foodstuff or at least evidence of it.Get transport unions to reduce transportation costs,one way or the other.
In this dire situation Nigeria is,you cannot allow a total market determined economy,the prices of some goods,especially foodstuffs,basic goods and services and transportation just has to be controlled.
Then make a Nationwide broadcast,telling Nigerians the agreement reached with evidence and other longer term measures you would promise would also start manifesting before the year end to reduce the astronomical cost of living.
You can also even impose a freeze on rent increase and any electricity tariff increase.
With these practical measures and a national broadcast to that effect,even if the protest goes on,it would be muted.
But of course,dunces and people propped up by lies and propaganda can't think that strategically and far,after all it was just to grab power at any cost