.Says Tinubu recognises citizens’ right to peaceful protest
.Reps Minority Caucus urges dialogue with protesters
.Shelve action, embrace dialogue, Gov Abiodun urges youths
.As Oba of Benin urges Nigerians to give President more time.
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said Wednesday that the federal government has uncovered a plot by some people to hijack the planned protest and unleash violence on innocent Nigerians.
He however, argued that while the administration of President Bola Tinubu acknowledges the right of every Nigerian to engage in peaceful protest, it is equally committed to ensuring that such activities do not disrupt public order or violate the rights of others.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media Ibrahim Rabiu, adding that the minister stated this when he received the Charismatic Bishop Conference on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja on Wednesday.
Part of the statement read:
“You see, the government of President Bola Tinubu believes in the freedom of everyone within the confines of the law to do what he thinks is right for him.
“Therefore, the President is not an opponent of protest of any kind but the President is an opponent of violence and anything that will negatively hamper the wellbeing of Nigerians.
“He believes and he has always been saying that within the tenets of democracy, you have every right to do whatever you want to do provided that right does not infringe on another person’s right.
“Why everybody is very cautious and very weary of this national protest is because we have seen what has happened around the world. We know that it’s almost impossible to hold this protest and then have peace at the end of the day. We cannot do that because some people are waiting to take the laws into their own hands”.
Idris noted that President Tinubu is fully aware of the genuine concerns and complaints expressed by Nigerians across the nation and he is actively working to implement effective policies aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by the citizenry and bringing relief to all Nigerians.
The Minister said in an unprecedented move, Tinubu is fashioning out a policy of paying stipends to all young university and polytechnic unemployed graduates in the country pending their formal employment in any sector of the economy.
“But beyond that, there is also another new policy that the President has formulated, which will begin to be seen very soon and that is that all young men and women who have finished universities and polytechnics and have certificates and have done their mandatory NYSC and have not been able to get jobs, will have something from the government to keep them afloat until the time they get jobs,” he said
He explained that because of the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers, even after the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage concluded its assignment and submitted its report, the President sustained his engagement with the Organised Labour Unions until an amicable resolution was reached, which gave birth to the N70,000 national minimum wage.
Idris said the introduction of the Compressed National Gas (CNG) policy by the President is a game changer in the country’s economy because of its ability to bring down the cost of transportation by about 60% thereby providing a viable alternative for petrol and diesel.
The Minister said henceforth, any government procurement of vehicles or machinery, must have a component of CNG embedded in the contracts.
He also highlighted the significant improvement in the security situation in the country, saying since the advent of the Tinubu administration, there has been a remarkable improvement in most of the flashpoints in the country, especially the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, which used to be a nightmare for motorists.
In his remarks, the President General of the Charismatic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Leonard Kawas, dissociated the conference from the planned national protest, saying they had been approached by some groups to join the protest.
“Your Excellency, recently we received some calls from some other religious organizations and other organizations asking us to join in preparation for a nationwide protest, which would start from 1st August 2024. We are here to let you know that we do not think the same. That we have rather decided to go all out and call for a truce. We have decided to sue for peace and humbly request that our brothers and sisters who are aggrieved in one way or the other, that they should give us some time while we continue to communicate and negotiate with this government on areas that are pertinent to them,” he said.
He said after the 2024 Synod, they have resolved to partner with the Federal Government in prayers and advocacy for the success of the Tinubu administration.
Archbishop Kawas acknowledged that the administration has made tremendous progress in social investment, the introduction of the Student Loan Scheme, security, infrastructure in the FCT and across the country, and the introduction of the N70,000 national minimum wage among others.
The Charismatic Bishop Conference also used the occasion to present a Meritorious Service Award to the Minister.
Reps Minority Caucus urges dialogue with protesters
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has called on the federal government to dialogue with planned protesters with a bid to address their concerns.
This was part of the Caucus’ resolution at the end of session dinner held in Abuja.
Speaking with journalists after the dinner, Chairman of the Caucus, Hon Kingsley Chinda, however discouraged the planned protest especially against the background of insecurity in parts of the country.
“We also appeal to the government to dialogue with the protesters and also look at some of the messages they are raising, the critical areas that need government intervention. Government should intervene and ensure that issues are resolved amicably.
“We are not going to encourage any protesters because in the past we have observed in most cases that even peaceful protests have been overtaken by hoodlums and with the insecurity situation in some parts of the country, you may not have the control of the gathering of people. So some unscrupulous people may use the opportunity to create chaos.
“So we are discouraging any protest but we appeal to government to dialogue and also look at critical areas that are necessary and address them amicably,” he said..
He called on the government to adopt the carrot and stick method in addressing the problem of insecurity in the country.
“We acknowledge and observe the insecurity situation in the country and we call on the government to use carrot and stick by ensuring that the result be seen. Let all the security chiefs do what is right to ensure that Nigerians are protected,” he said.
The Caucus also called on the government to create means to ensure citizens are self reliant in a bid to tackle the economic downturn in the country.
“We also acknowledge in our discussion that there is hunger in the land and we appeal to the government not only to be giving palliatives but to create ways and means whereby people can be self-reliant,” he said.
He said the dinner was organised to thank all the members for their support.
“Basically the main purpose of our gathering yesterday was just end of year dinner. We feel it is important to organise a dinner and thank all our members for giving us the necessary support, all the minority parties in the House,” he said.
Shelve action, embrace dialogue, Abiodun urges youths
Similarly, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has appealed to Nigerian youths to constructively engage the government in finding lasting solutions to Nigeria’s problems rather than engaging in protests that could cause more harm to the country.
Abiodun made the appeal when he met with the coalition of youth organizations in the state at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The governor, who recalled the destruction of lives and properties occasioned by the EndSARS protests across the country in 2020, said protests could only aggravate issues without necessarily finding solutions to them.
He said: “And yet again, there are calls for mass protests across the country, and the first thing that agitates one’s mind is, is that the way to present our case to government? Is that the way to constructively and objectively engage with government by advertising and planning mass protests? Is there something behind those who are calling for these protests? Is this another plan by those who have tried their luck and have lost? Is this their own way and shortcut to see how to frustrate the government?
“Young men and women, you have no other country than this country. Let me assure you that I have travelled far and wide. I am sure, like many of you, there is no country in the world where you can walk like your own, that country is Nigeria. There is no other place where nobody will accost you, and you would not challenge that person.
“You can not go to London and say do you know who I am and the people there will not look at you and say that you have an identity problem. But in Nigeria, you can look at somebody in the face and say “do you know who I am?”
“There is a Yoruba proverb that says ‘beheading is not the solution for an headache’. If there are issues, let us discuss them, let us find a way around them, let us manage and correct them. Let us not cut off the head or attempt to cut off the head because of a headache. That will amount to decapitation,” Abiodun advised.
He said Nigeria, like many countries across the world, was going through difficult times, hence the need for the youths to bring in their vibrancy, zeal, ingenuity, and technical know-how in solving the problems.
The governor acknowledged the maturity displayed by the youths in the State during the EndSARS protests.
He added: “This engagement will not be complete if I do not thank you, the Ogun State youths. I will be ungrateful, and it will be the peak of ingratitude if I do not appreciate your matured conduct during that period.
“I want to remind you that there was EndSARS, when there were protests in different parts of the country, particularly in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts where there were looting, burning and the likes.
“They were attacking anything attackable, but you, the youths of Ogun State said though we are angry and dissatisfied with the ways things are, we are not criminals, we are not looters, we will not participate in the protest, to that I say a big thank you.”
While taking time to explain some of the policy thrust and the direction of his administration in the last five years, Governor Abiodun said emphasis were placed on Infrastructure, Social Welfare and Wellbeing, Education, Youth Empowerment and Job Creation and Agriculture as encapsulated in the ISEYA mantra.
He said his administration has done well in health, education, infrastructure, and security, which, without them, no meaningful socio-economic development could take place.
Abiodun who also spoke on the recent attacks on his person and administration said: “I normally don’t get disturbed by such things because one of my mentors in politics told me that in politics, you must make sure that you are mentioned either for the right or wrong reasons, but be continuously mentioned because if you are not mentioned, you are just part of the crowd.
“For me, I am not bothered that I have been under attacks by faceless people on social media because I know what I am. I know who I am. I know what I did before I became governor. I know how long I have been in this journey. I became a senator before I was 35, the youngest at the time and I have been on this space in the State contesting on different platforms from that time until God decided that He was going to make me a governor and someone would imagine that after all that I had gone through to get to this position, all I will do is to be bitting my fingernails. That person must be a joke.
“I became the governor under the most torturous and most difficult circumstances. I can’t go through that baptism of fire to get to the office and become complacent.
“Our Internally Generated Revenue was around N50 billion a year before. But in four years, we have grown it to almost N200 billion, and someone says Dapo Abiodun is just sitting in Ogun State and doing nothing. That has to be a joke,” the governor stated.
While maintaining that his administration has young brilliant men and women who are contributing their quota to the development of the State, Prince Abiodun said the meeting was to rub minds on the current realities in the country as it affects the youths in the State, calling on them to remain focused and not pay attention to distractions that could jeopardize their future.
Speaking further, Abiodun said that he had to sign an executive order to split the Ministry of Youths and Sports into the Ministries of Sports Development and Youths Development to create an avenue for the proper development of the youth constituency and Sports in the state.
He assured the youths that the Ministry of Youths Development would soon get its own commissioner, who he said would be young, brilliant, and vibrant.
“I believe that it took us a bit of time to formalize the creation of that ministry. When you create a ministry, you must have a permanent secretary and other paraphernalia of office for it to be a ministry.
“Not having a Commissioner for Youths Development is not deliberate or intentional. I want to promise you that you will get that commissioner and that commissioner will be one who will be able to relate with you and also articulate the needs of your generation to the cabinet,” he added.
Speaking earlier, one of the youths, Motolani Oyediji, called for more youth inclusion in government, while the State Chairman, National Youth Council, Kolawole Soremi, called for the appointment of a Commissioner for Youth Development to handle youth related issues in the State and also regular interface between the youth and government to address issues that may cause misunderstanding.
For things to get better, it has to be tough for a while, Oba of Benin tells Nigerians
Meanwhile, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewaure II, has appealed to the Nigerian youths to shelve the planned protest slated for August 1, 2024.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Osaigbovo Iguobaro, the first-class monarch noted it takes a while for things to get better.
He appealed to aggrieved Nigerians to give the Federal Government enough time to implement its economic policies which are expected to alleviate the present hardship.
“For things to get better, it has to be tough for a while.”
The Monarch also appealed to the federal government to intensify efforts in the implementation of of its economic and security policies.
Oba Ewuare therefore advised those that are planning the nationwide protest to shelve the plan.
Recall that some youths had proposed August 1, 2024 to begin a 10-day nationwide hunger and hardship protests across the country to draw the federal and State governments’ attention to the plight of citizens.
President Bola Tinubu had appealed to Nigerians to give him more time to accomplish his plans for the nation.
