1. It’s a family matter, give us time, FG pleads with Nigerians
2. Have confidence in President’s efforts at repositioning economy.3. Oba of Benin urges Nigerians to shelve proposed action.
4. Bwala visits Tinubu, blames looming demonstration on politics, foreign interests.
5. NLC reaffirms solidarity with suffering citizens.
With less than a week to the planned nationwide protests against hardship, the Nigerian leadership is becoming apprehensive by the day and unwilling to leave matters to chance.
Yesterday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, met with ministers over the anticipated protests.
The meeting was convened behind closed doors and had all the over 40 ministers in the President’s cabinet in attendance.
Ministers spotted include Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties), Tahir Mamman (Education), Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning), Wale Edun (Finance), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bello Matawalle (Defence), and David Umahi (Works).
In the same vein, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) summoned an emergency meeting of all its state chairmen to discuss ways to stave off the planned protests.
Following the meeting the SGF and NSA held with the President’s cabinet, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris told reporters that the federal government is not sleeping on duty and begged for more time from Nigerians.
Describing the planned protests as a “family matter”, he said all grievances would be resolved to ensure the peace and stability of the country.
Idris 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. 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. 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. We hope that peace will prevail at the end of the day. He is an individual. This is a democracy; everyone is entitled to his opinion. The protesters are also Nigerians. This is a democratic situation.
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