July 24, 2024
President Bola Tinubu has appealed to aggrieved Nigerian youths planning a national protest over the high cost of living to shelve the action.
The President, who assured those behind the planned protest that he has heard their grievances said he was working seriously to ensure that all their concerns are addressed.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the President’s plea while speaking with State House correspondents after he met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The minister said that at the meeting with the President, general issues on the country were discussed and that the President said he is working assiduously to ensure the country’s economy is placed in a good position.
His words: ‘’We discussed the issue of the country in general 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 said he listens to them and 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 the government’s response to all their pleas, he has listened to them.’’
The President’s assurance is coming as the face-off between Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi, took a new twist.
Obi’s lawyers, on Tuesday, wrote Onanuga, demanding N5 billion and an apology within 72 hours for accusing him and his supporters of high treason in allegedly being masterminds of the planned “EndBadGovernance protest.”
In like manner, former presidential aspirant and a chieftain of the LP, Professor Pat Utomi, challenged Onanuga to produce evidence of his involvement in the planned protest or face N500 billion litigation.
Recall that the Presidential spokesman had on July 20, 2024, claimed in his X handle @aonanuga1956 that: “ Peter Obi’s supporters are the people planning mayhem in Nigeria and that Obi should be held responsible for anarchy.”
