FG moves to stop planned protests, as ministers, governors meet today

The federal government on Wednesday, mobilised Ministers and top government officials, as well as notable Nigerians against the planned #EndBadGovernance protest.

The move was spearheaded by George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, who met with President Bola Tinubu Ministers, including Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser to brainstorm over the planned nationwide protest.

As part of action plan from the meeting, some ministers will meet with state governors at the 143rd session of the National Economic Council at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Thursday.

This is as the protest against economic hardship, planned for August 1, continues to gain traction on the social media space, as the organisers continue to operate under the shadows.

Idris Mohammed, Information and National Orientation Minister who spoke after the meeting at the SGF’s office, said the President and the Ministers are working round the clock, to avert the protest

“The ministers are working, everyone is working. All hands are on deck. The President is listening and he has a message to Nigerians and that message is that we must all calm down, they should please cooperate and give government more time, everything that they have asked for, all their pleas will be answered.

It is a family matter, it will be resolved – Mohammed

The Minister assured that no one is going to sleep, until, the matter is resolved.
“Those that are agitating and asking for protests are Nigerians. They are our brothers, they are our sisters. Those also in the position of authority, the ministers, the president and everybody are all Nigerians too.
So, this is a family matter. This is a Nigerian family issue and all of us are looking at this issue very well, we hope that peace will prevail at the end of the day,” he said.

Idris disclosed that President Tinubu has meet severally with all key stakeholders, adding that

“I have also been meeting with other government functionaries, meeting with other stakeholders. Engagement will continue in the interest of Nigerians. We know that this is the only country all of us have and at the end of the day Nigeria is going to be better for it.

Responding to insistence by Femi Falana that the protest will go on despite the federal government’s effort, Idris noted that he is an individual and this is democracy.

“Everybody is entitled to his opinion, the protesters are also Nigerians, there are democratic situations. What I keep saying is that we are all Nigerians, we are all acting in the interest of Nigerians but suffice it to say that the message I gave yesterday, the president has said that there’s no need for any protests, let’s all calm down, a lot is happening, Nigeria is going to move and match on and we believe that whatever government is going to come up with, is going to be in the interest of Nigerians.

“We don’t think there’s need for any protest, we are appealing for calm, patience for a peaceful resolution, peaceful approach to any issue. If you have anything that you want to put out there, you are free to put out there but government is insisting that we are all Nigerians, we have to be calm, be patient and suffice it to say that let us give peace a chance.

The Ministers who attended the meeting held at the SGF’s office included Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties), Tahir Mamman (Education), and Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning).
Others are Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bello Matawalle (Defence), David Umahi (Works), and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, amongst others.

It will be recalled that President had on Tuesday pleaded with Nigerians to shelve the #EndBadGovernance protest.

Hope Uzodinma, Imo state Governor and Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, Governors Forum, on Wednesday, said the proposed August 1st nationwide Protests will be counterproductive.

Uzodinma who stated this while fielding questions from State House Journalists after leading Pius Anyim, former Senate President to meet with President Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also expressed fears that hoodlums might take advantage of the protest.

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Recall that Anyim who also served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, recently decamped to the APC, at Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital

Addressing State House Journalists after the meeting Uzodimma Commended the Tinubu administration’s policies and urged Nigerians to give the policies the chance to mature.

The Imo state Governor noted that the ongoing economic challenges were the results of global economic recession, adding that Tinubu has put measures in place that will address the challenges.

He also expressed fears that the protests might be hacked by hoodlums, referencing the 2020 #EndSARS protests that witnessed massive distruction of public properties.

” We know that protests are part of every democratic process, but we know that every protest can be hijacked by hoodlums, which will defeat the original aim.

” Moreover, the economic challenges that people are complaining about was not a direct creation of this administration, it is a global problem which the Tinubu’s administration is working very hard to address

” We need to give the policies opportunity to mature, because we know that very soon, Nigerians will begin to enjoy the full benefits of these policies

Uzodinma, while commending Tinubu for his efforts to uplift the economy of the South East region, added that the ” South East Governors Forum are very happy with the President and grateful for what he is doing for the people.

He described Ayim’s entrance into he APC as a new dawn adding that “many people have agreed that the President administration is doing very well.”

Anyim, while speaking on his new move, said that his determination is that Nigeria moves forward, adding that “there is need that we all should put hands together to move the country forward.”

Daniel Bwala, former Spokesman of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign organization, said “foreign interests who are bent on taking advantage of the current economic challenges and the suffering of Nigerians, may be behind the protest.

“ Honesty, I believe that there is to a large extent the element of politics and my belief that it even transcends the country.
“ Everybody in Nigeria acknowledges that there is suffering and the suffering did not start last year.

Bwala while noting that Nigerians have been dealing with the issue of suffering, over time, added that “you know, lack of employment we’re talking about enterpreneurship, virtually every aspect of the economy and security is what we have always been pushing and see how we can attain a better place.

“But suddenly, the conversation in the mainstream and social media is all about, wanting to bring the government down and that President Nola Tinubu must resign.

“Once you hear that kind of talk and language, then you don’t need somebody to interpret that there is a political connotation. You must be aware that people have been holding meetings saying they want to unseat the President.

“By our Constitution, he has four years and it’s renewable for another term of four years. And he’s doing everything possible. In these four years to deliver on the promise to the Nigerian people,

Bwala who noted that no reform is easy, added “ Go to Brazil, any part of the world if you’re going to do reform, it is not going to be easy. It means that all of us will have to readjust, but the government’s role when you are initiating reform is to bring about intervention, which is what the President is doing, like the release of truckloads of food and then given monies to remember the increased allocation to the governor’s additional money to the governor’s. He even committed to helping the organized private sector to meet up with the minimum wage. So this is my immediate reaction to the question.