Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has highlighted ways President Bola Tinubu can douse the tension gripping the country occasioned by the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Omokri, in a statement on X Thursday said protest in Nigeria is often seen as an opportunity for looters, urging the president to address the nation at this important time.
“Protests in a country like Nigeria are often an economic opportunity for looters and others who want to cash out from a state of tension.
“To nip this in the bud, I urge President Tinubu to either call a National Council of State meeting, or give a National Broadcast, or even do both,” he said.
Omokri urged Tinubu to “make some concessions” by slashing his salary, that of his cabinet members and reducing convoys of government office holders to cut cost of governance.
He also advised the president to “temporarily” return electricity subsidy and grant workers earning minimum wage a year’s tax holiday to ease the pains of Nigerians.
“To show that the President feels the people’s pains, perhaps the President can make some concessions by temporarily returning the electricity subsidy for six months.
“Not fuel subsidy. The subsidy on power. That will ease the burdens of Nigerians and show that we have a listening President.
“Finally, the President may want to grant a year’s tax holiday to every person earning minimum wage to give them room to adjust to the changes in our economy,” the former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan said.
He however noted that “doing nothing at the presidential level is the worst strategy” adding that “history will forgive a leader who makes the wrong decision. But not the one who takes no action”.
Omokri’s comments comes on the heels of a 10-day long planned protest where thousands of Nigerians whom are largely youth are demanding more actions from the Tinubu-led government to ease the economic downturn ravaging the country.
The protest began today in many parts of Nigeria. While it went peacefully in Lagos, states like Kano, Borno, Katsina and even the FCT recorded violence.
Stakeholders are however calling on the president to speak to the nation to pipe down the pressure and rising tension in Africa’s most populous nation.
