Senators and other intermediaries are urgently appealing to Nigerians, particularly the youth, to abandon plans for nationwide protests against the current economic hardship.
According to Tribune, some lawmakers have expressed fears that the protests could be hijacked by hoodlums, potentially leading to widespread chaos and a breakdown of law and order.
“They are making good use of the annual recess. A lot of them are in their constituencies appealing to the people, especially the young people, to call off the planned protests. There are issues, no doubt, but a resort to anarchy is what they fear most,” a National Assembly official said this in Abuja.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Senator Isa Jibrin, APC, Kogi-East, believes that protests are not a viable solution to the country’s challenges.
“There is no economy in the world that is not facing one challenge or another. Solutions to economic issues are done through dialogues. We all appreciate the fact that the cost of living is high. The president we have today is also very mindful of this. That is why he has come up with various palliative measures to address the high cost of living,” Jibrin stated.
Jibrin urged for patience, highlighting measures taken by the Tinubu administration, including increasing the national minimum wage and efforts to complete the ongoing Turnaround Maintenance of the country’s four refineries, which is expected to reduce petroleum product prices.
“He has started addressing the issue of minimum wage, which has now been increased to N70,000. There is also a provision for periodic review after every three years. Besides, there are various discussions on how to reduce the cost of petrol and diesel that have contributed significantly to the problems we face today. If the refineries are working, there won’t be any need to import refined products from outside the country. There are various economic measures to bring down the cost of living. I insist that protests can never be a solution. They should shelve the protest. It will not only complicate the situation on our hands but also the chances of the protests being hijacked are very high,” he emphasized.
Opposition lawmakers, who preferred not to be named, argued that the government must ensure the safety of protesters and protect public property.
“If what you are afraid of is anarchy, engage your security agencies to secure installations and also guarantee the safety of those who will protest,” one of them told Tribune.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen plans to engage Nigerian youth groups in a town hall meeting on Wednesday.
His media office stated that this meeting is part of the House’s Legislative Agenda, which prioritizes sustained youth engagement and legislative measures to promote youth political participation, representation, and inclusion in governance and decision-making. Organized in collaboration with YIAGA Africa and the Konrad-Adenuer-Stiftung, the event aims to provide a platform for young Nigerians to voice their concerns and engage with legislative leaders.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, on Sunday urged the organizers of the planned protest to reconsider due to its potential negative implications.
Meeting with APC stakeholders from Bende Federal Constituency, Kalu advised his constituents and the residents of the South-East geopolitical zone to avoid the protest, calling it counter-productive.
He also appealed to leaders at all levels to show compassion and support during this challenging time.
“This is the time to be with your people, calm their nerves, give them hope and solve their problem. Leaders, go to your communities and be with your people. Hear them and solve their problems. You may not solve all of them but at least, show them love and care,” Kalu urged.
Leader of the Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, also called on Nigerians to shun the planned protest.
Addressing the ‘Forum of former APC Council Chairmen in Kano State,’ Ado-Doguwa emphasized the need for legal reforms to improve governance at state and local government levels, particularly regarding Local Government autonomy and the conduct of elections by INEC instead of State Electoral Commissions.
“I agree there is hardship. We represent the people and we are doing our best to help in bringing solutions to them,” he said. He also praised the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy as a positive step for Nigeria.
Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, addressing allegations of sponsoring the protest, emphasized that the real sponsors are “Mr. Hunger, Mr. Unemployment, Mr. Inflation, Mr. Corruption, Mr. Poverty, Mr. Looting, and Mr. Unaccountability.”
He advised that while youths should be free to express their views, their actions must remain lawful and urged older generations to support and listen to the youth.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has scheduled a meeting for Monday with protest organizers and stakeholders from security and civil societies to discuss the economic situation.
He has directed his team to engage with civil society groups and student bodies for dialogue.
“We will convey outcomes of the session to government leaders from myself to Mr President in Abuja. It will also be an opportunity to tell stakeholders what we are doing as a government to resolve the economic hardship facing our people,” Adeleke’s spokesperson stated.
Abuja Markets Management Limited has cautioned traders and market users to be vigilant and prevent infiltration by individuals with malicious intentions during protests.
Acting Managing Director Engr. Abbas Yakubu warned that miscreants often exploit such gatherings.
