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Nationwide protest: SGF, ministers hold emergency meeting today
A nationwide protest set for August 1 has prompted the Federal Government to call an emergency meeting for this Wednesday morning.
This comes after President Bola Tinubu begged the protest organisers to call off the demonstrations and give his administration more time to carry out initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people.
All of the ministers, George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation, Hadiza Bala-Usman, the special adviser to the president on policy and coordination, Bayo Onanuga, the information and strategy minister, and Sunday Dare, the former minister of youth and sports, were among those invited to the meeting, according to a circular released on Tuesday by sources with knowledge of the meeting.
The July 23, 2024, circular bearing the signature of Richard Pheelangwah, Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, was headed "Planned Nationwide Protest."
It said, "I am directed to invite you to attend a meeting on the aforesaid matter scheduled as follows with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation: The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Conference Room; July 24, 2024, at 10 a.m.
Attendance is required. Please accept the Secretary to the Government of the Federation's kind greetings.
The scheduled meeting comes amid calls for statewide demonstrations to begin on August 1st in response to the nation's growing living expenses and economic hardship, which have been attributed to the elimination of gasoline subsidies, the floating of the naira and other economic reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration.
The planned demonstration, inspired by the recent Kenya protests, has gained traction on social media, where it is trending under the hashtags ‘EndBadGovernance,’ ‘TinubuMustGo’ and ‘#Revolution2024.’
However, the Presidency and the police authorities called on youths to abandon the plan, describing it as ill-advised.
Following a meeting with Tinubu, the President's appeal to Nigerians was communicated by Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris on Tuesday in an interview with State House media.
"Mr. President does not see any need for that, in regards to the planned protest," he stated. He requested that they put that idea on hold and wait for the government to respond to all of their requests.
Thus, a strike is not necessary. The President should be listened to by the youth of today, and they should give him more time to see that all of his gifts to them are realised.
According to Idris, the President is dedicated to securing a better future for Nigeria and has given serious consideration to the demonstrators' complaints.
He mentioned the speedy passage of the National Minimum Wage Bill by the National Assembly and the recent approval and delivery of grains to state governments as evidence of the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians.
Tinubu begs
We also talked about national issues, and Mr. President has requested me to remind Nigerians that he hears them, especially the young people who are attempting to demonstrate, Idris continued.
For instance, you observed that the federal government promptly approved and sent wheat and rice to state governments.
As I previously stated, it is only the essential first step; the government will keep moving in that direction, assisting them and making sure that the beneficiaries of any initiatives the federal government does receive them. Everything that is being released is crucial.
The federal government is considering tactics in which each intervention would target those who benefit from those interventions, not middlemen intervening along the way.”
The minister also said President Tinubu was passionate about the newly launched Student Loan Board, which aimed at ensuring that every eligible student had access to tertiary education.
"We can no longer afford to sit back and watch our young, healthy men and women who have passed the entrance exams to enter tertiary institutions but are unable to do so because their parents cannot afford the tuition costs."
"The administration is determined to make sure that this becomes a thing of the past. You are aware of the contribution made to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, or NELFUND. We already have more than what is needed today, and the President will continue to provide more as long as the people demand it.
Additionally, the Federal Government announced that it was refining a plan to assist recent graduates who had not yet found employment following their graduation from National Youth Service programme.
It claimed that the program was a component of the administration's resolve to advance without abandoning anyone.
Additionally, the President is developing an intervention for young people who have completed their education but have not yet found employment following their time in the NYSC.
For instance, the government is currently refining a program that will be accelerated in order to provide support to all young individuals who have completed their education and are graduates of universities and polytechnics but are unable to find employment. This support will last until the government offers these individuals employment.
"The idea behind this all-inclusive government is that no one is left behind." and the President is determined to ensure that no one is left behind in this his attempt to march Nigeria towards progress,” Idris further assured.
Also, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said Nigeria had yet to recover from the 2020 #EndSARS protests, which resulted in the destruction of lives and properties across the country.
During a Tuesday meeting in Abuja with police commissioners, Egbetokun mentioned that the nation has had a good number of violent protests that have resulted in unfavourable outcomes.
In several areas of the nation, the IG stated, crime rates and instability increased as a result of the previous #EndSARS demonstrations.
"It is important that I address an issue of urgent national importance that appears to have gained some momentum, particularly on social media, in the past few weeks," the speaker stated before wrapping up his speech.
Claiming to be recreating the recent protests in Kenya, some groups of people—self-styled crusaders and influencers—have been plotting and organising possible demonstrators to incite terror around the nation.
"Although our constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, the Force must make sure that these demonstrations don't turn violent or disorderly. As a country, we have experienced a good number of violent protests that have had very heinous outcomes.
"Several lives were lost and public assets, such as courts, police stations, and transportation infrastructure, were destroyed during the previous #EndSars protest."
"Tales of sorrow, tears, and blood followed what was ostensibly meant to be a well-intentioned exercise," the speaker continued. #EndSars didn't improve anything; instead, it made crime and instability in some areas of the nation worse.
In fact, we still have a ways to go before we fully heal from the severe financial losses and the profound emotional and psychological anguish inflicted upon our people by these protests.”
He asked the populace to abandon the planned demonstration, stressing that it is the job of the police to keep the public safe and their property secure.
Therefore, we believe that the planned violent protests are misguided and have to be abandoned immediately, Egbetokun stated. It is our duty to safeguard assets and everyone who is lawfully going about their everyday business, regardless of race, colour, ethnicity, or tribe.
"As a result, we will not stand by and do nothing while violent acts inflict bloodshed on our quiet neighbourhoods or demolish any of our vital national assets or infrastructure."
The Inspector General declared that precautions were taken to guarantee that any criminals trying to pose as demonstrators would be caught.
Egbetokun issues a warning
"We've drawn out plans to ensure that no individual or group succeeds in fostering a reign of terror and anarchy on other law-abiding and dissolving Nigerians.
"Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to issue a serious warning to thugs who might try to impose laws on their own in the name of protests," he said.
On the other hand, appeals for the nationwide protests were deemed treasonous by Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Advisor on Information and Strategy.
He claimed that "they are not democrats but anarchists," accusing Peter Obi, the Labour Party's presidential contender in 2023, and his allies of organising the planned demonstrations.
"They will recognise that their hashtags are clear cries for treason if they comprehend their meaning. High treason is the desire to overthrow an elected government. Calling for a coup d'etat, which is also a high treason, is the same as wanting revolution the presidential aide said.
The claim that Obi and his backers were orchestrating the next statewide anti-government demonstrations was denied by the Labour Party.
In a statement, Obiora Ifoh, the LP's national publicity secretary, argued that Onanuga was incorrect to associate the demonstration with the LP and its national head.
Ifoh stated in an interview that the President