In response to the increasing economic hardship and mounting calls for a nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians for more time, promising that the situation is being addressed with urgency.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed his message on Wednesday in Abuja after a Federal Executive Council meeting convened by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Idris described the planned protests as a “family matter” and reassured that the government is committed to resolving all issues in a manner that ensures peace and stability across the country.
The Minister acknowledged the legitimate concerns of citizens and stressed that the administration is focused on implementing solutions to mitigate the hardships.
He emphasized that dialogue and patience are essential during this period of economic transition.
Idris, after the closed-door meeting, while addressing newsmen, said:
“We came together to discuss. You can see that this is not happening at the Council Chambers, it’s happening at the office of the SGF, and many of the ministers are here. We have discussed issues of national interest, and all of us are working for Nigeria and we hope and believe that Nigeria is going to be great again.
“No one is going to sleep. Those who are agitating and asking for protests are Nigerians, and they are our brothers, they are our sisters, they are all Nigerians and those in positions of authority; the ministers, the President, everybody, we are all Nigerians too. So, this is a family matter. This is a Nigerian family issue, and all of us are looking at this issue very well and we hope that peace will prevail at the end of the day.”
Asked whether the government has been engaging with the stakeholders and organizers of the planned protest, Idris said engagement has always been an ongoing thing.
“This is not a peculiar situation. Engagement has been ongoing. The President has met severally with all key stakeholders. I have also been meeting with stakeholders, and other government functionaries have also been meeting with other key stakeholders.
“Engagement is going to continue and in the interest of Nigeria, we will continue to engage. We know this is the only country that all of us have, and at the end of the day, Nigeria is going to be better for all of us for it”, he stated.
On the alleged insistence by some top Nigerians, including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Femi Falana, that the protests must go on, Idris said the senior lawyer was entitled to his opinion in a democracy.
“He (Falana) is an individual. This is a democracy, and everyone is entitled to his opinion. The protesters are also Nigerians, and this is a democratic situation. What I keep saying is that we are all Nigerians and we are all acting in the interest of Nigeria, but suffice to say that yesterday, Mr President said there is no need for any protest, let us calm down.
“A lot is happening, Nigeria is going to move and march on, and we believe that whatever government comes out with will be in the interest of Nigeria. We don’t think that there is a need for any protest, we are appealing for calm, we are appealing for a peaceful resolution or a peaceful approach to any issue.
“If you have anything that you want to put out there, you are free to put it out there, but the government is insisting that we are all Nigerians; we have to be calm, we have to be patient and suffice it to say that let us give peace a chance. Mr President is working round the clock, his ministers are working, everyone is working, all hands are on deck.
“Like I said yesterday, everyone is listening; we are all listening; the President is listening, and he has a message for all Nigerians; that message is that they should all calm down; they should please give the man more time. Everything they asked for, all their pleas will be answered”, he added.
Some Ministers who were at the meeting included Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties), Tahir Mamman (Education), and Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning).
Others were Wale Edun (Finance), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bello Matawalle (Defence), David Umahi (Works), and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, among others.
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