For the umpteenth time, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained the imperative of the removal of fuel subsidies and abolition of multiple foreign exchange rates.
In a nationwide broadcast Sunday on the #EndBadGovernance protest across the country, the president said the decisions were to block the greed and profits of smugglers and rent-seekers, and also grow the economy for national development.
He said the Nigerian economy had remained anaemic for decades and taken a dip because of many misalignments that had stunted its growth.
“For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth.
“Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations.
“I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our nation and impeded our economic development and progress.
“These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate.
“These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter,” he said.
…He’s a listening president -Fintiri
Also in similar broadcast, Sunday, Adamawa state Governor Ahmadu Fintiri assured people of the state that Tinubu is a listening president who has heard from them and would address their grievances.
While calling on the people to maintain peace, Fintiri said: “We shall work with you to make sure that the demands are attended to. The president is a listening president.”
He said: “Fellow citizens for the past four days of the protest I have gone round, especially the state capital and can see the level of trust we have mutually developed. It is the trust that gave me the confidence to come out, move freely and officially inspect ongoing projects in the state. I must thank you all for the show of supports and love which have rekindled my resolve to do more and continue to serve you.
“We can feel your pains, we can relate with what you are passing through but we also assure that as your leaders, the best pay back you deserve from us is an advocacy to any level and a leadership that can work round the clock to not only reverse your ugly realities but restore the collective hopes of our livelihood.
“Good governance is your right and that is what we have all sworn to give you. That is our trademark in Adamawa state. As a government we don’t need protest to remind us of this sacred responsibility we will continue to give you good governance in Adamawa state.”
…CISLAC lauds president
And in a reaction to the nationwide broadcast, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) lauded Tinubu over his appeal to the protesting masses to embrace dialogue.
This was contained in a statement Sunday by CISLAC Executive Director Auwal Musa Rafsanjani.
This, the body said, demonstrated his administration’s commitment to listening to and addressing the citizens’ grievances.
The statement said: “President Tinubu emphasized the need for unity and collective effort in reshaping the nation’s future, calling on all Nigerians, irrespective of age, political affiliation, tribe, or religion, to work together for a better Nigeria.
“CISLAC stands firmly with the demands for justice and reform within the administrative justice system and improved governance, as this will ensure a just and prosperous nation where peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihoods are enjoyed under a transparent and accountable government.
“President Tinubu and his appointees must stop their concerted efforts to link the protests and grievances of Nigerians to political agendas. Such attempts divert attention from the pressing reality of deep poverty affecting millions of Nigerians. Instead, the government should focus on inclusively improving the economy.
“CISLAC emphasizes the importance of maintaining peace, law, and order while upholding human rights in line with international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory. “The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount.”
…APC chieftain pleads
Also in a plea, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, urged the protesters to call off the protest in line with the president’s appeal.
Noting that the president had acknowledged the essence of the protest and called for dialogue, Oyintiloye stressed that the wanton destruction of property, looting, and killing of innocent Nigerians could not be justified in the name of a protest.
In a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo Sunday, Oyintiloye said the reported killing of about 10 persons in Niger, Borno, Kano and Kaduna during the protest was disheartening.
Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), noted that there was no doubt that there is hunger in the country, adding however that the ongoing violence was not the best way to address the present situation.
He said shutting a fragile economy like Nigeria, for 10 days, would be counter-productive, as it may result in more sufferings for the masses.
The APC chieftain also said destruction of the federal government’s multi-million naira digital innovation park in Kano, among others, was disheartening.
Oyintiloye, a former state lawmaker, said there was no doubt that it is a constitutional right to protest within the ambits of fundamental human rights, but the protest should be properly managed not to snowball into riots.
He said that the protest, which had resulted in killing, looting and destruction, could no longer be described as protest, but riots.
According to him, such riot act will contravene section 71 of the Criminal Code Acts of Nigeria that explicitly stated that, “Any person who takes part in a riot is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.
“Therefore, protesters must be careful not to allow their activities to be interpreted as a riot that is a punishable offence.
“I want to appeal to the youth and the organisers of the hunger protest to embrace dialogue and give the president the opportunity to do the needful.
“Protest is a constitutional right, but killings, looting and destruction of both government and private property is not permitted by the law.
“Let’s be cautious of the fact there are some disgruntled individuals who are planning to use the protest to destabilise the government. We must not allow this.
“There is no doubt that there is hunger and poverty in the land, but we can be rest assured that the president is doing his best to improve the economy, but this cannot be achieved within a year.
“Let’s give the president the chance to address the situation, and let’s embrace dialogue for the peace and stability of the country. The president has spoken, lets listen to him and give the administration more time,” he said.
…Wait till 2027, stop instigating violence against Tinubu – Kachikwu
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the 2023 elections, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, has advised protesters to halt the protest.
Rather than inciting the populace, he said, the opposition should proffer solutions to the nation’s current challenges or wait till 2027 for the general elections.
While advising all to return to God for a way out of our challenges, he advised Tinubu to be broadminded and consult widely instead of running the affairs of the nation alone.
Kachikwu, who made the positions known known in a statement on the current state of the nation, Sunday in Abuja.
He said: “We can’t continue killing ourselves. Our streets flow with the blood of the innocent. Over 19 killed in this scam of a protest, all for what? No child of any politician or big man was killed. Just the poor, average Nigerian. Only their family members will cry and mourn for them quietly while those who have made billions from this scam laugh to the bank.
“We are witnessing unprecedented hardship right now. The poor can barely eat a meal in two days. Most of us can no longer afford the necessities. The population of the poor is increasing by the minute. We as leaders need to come to a table of equity, justice and fairness to address the plight of the downtrodden immediately.
“It is not Tinubu’s problem alone and Tinubu must stop acting like he can do it all by himself. He must show leadership and reach out across party lines to get the best and the brightest to a solution roundtable. God himself reconciled all men to him through his son Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
“If God knows to reconcile us to him, who are you not to reconcile the aggrieved to you? (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) Our nation needs healing and for this to happen, all Nigerians must come to equity with clean hands and sincerity of purpose.
“We don’t burn our houses because we want to kill rats and cockroaches: sometimes we just need to make our houses clean so that rats and cockroaches will leave on their own. My earnest prayer is that Nigeria will soon work for every one of us.”
The ADC standard bearer, reputed for his daily NUGGETS on the state of the nation, faulted the opposition for attacking Tinubu rather than coming up with solutions to the nation’s challenges.
He added: “What of those who lost elections but like President Trump they won’t accept the result and move on? This is not a progressive attitude. We can’t burn down our country over elections that have been won and lost.
“The job of the opposition now is to oppose and propose but what we are doing is only opposing without providing any solutions to our problems. See any advanced democracy and see how the opposition behaves. They have their stand and solution on all issues, and they will debate you night and day but here all we want to do is abuse Tinubu without offering any concrete solutions. This is not leadership.”
…Falana faults president’s address
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on President Tinubu to address the demands of the peaceful protesters.
In a statement Sunday, Falana said the presidential speech fell short of addressing the key demand of the protesters: reversal of the policy of withdrawal of fuel subsidy.
“If the government takes the fight against corruption to oil dealers and crude oil is processed in government-owned refineries, there will be no basis for fuel subsidy, which is induced by the importation of petroleum products. A positive response to the key demands of the youths to review the protesters could make them review their actions. Insensitivity to their demands can only provoke continued action,” he said.
The rights activist said: “We commiserate with the families of the patriots’ peaceful protesters that were killed and call on the Federal and State Governments to set up Commissions of Inquiry, which should include representatives of credible human rights organisations and the NBA to investigate the killings with a view to bringing to justice, prosecute the reckless murderers in Police uniform and ensuring that.
“The family members of the deceased should be adequately compensated by the federal government. The victims of the barbarous police killings should be identified and celebrated as heroes and heroines of the struggle for the emancipation of the downtrodden Nigerian people. Participation in peaceful protests should never be criminalised in Nigeria.”