...embarks on last ditch effort to avert action
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, warned that his s administration will not condone any protest that would lead to destruction of lives and property.
Tinubu, who spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he received Letters of Credence from the newly appointed United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Mills, Jr., said: “Our relationship with America is rich. We believe in democracy and freedom. Some of your predecessors worked hard during our transition to democracy, and we remember the likes of Ambassador Howard Jeter.
‘’We look forward to Nigeria and the United States continuously working to expand cooperation on shared goals and democratic values.
‘’During the military era, we made our voices heard against dictatorship, and I was part of the group that engaged in peaceful protests without resorting to the destruction of property.
‘’We have worked hard to ensure 25 years of unbroken democracy and I will continue to maintain this democracy.
“In as much as we believe that demonstrations are part of democracy, we will never encourage any protests that lead to the destruction of lives and property.
“Nigeria is ready to play its role as the largest democracy in Africa that is worthy of emulation to other African countries, but we need more US partnership on the continent that is beneficial to both sides. We believe in freedom, and we are providing the leadership to make Nigeria’s economy grow.’’
Ambassador Mills affirmed US support for Nigeria’s democracy, and pledged support for bigger roles for Nigeria in the international arena.
“Nigeria is crucial to the United States because we share democratic values, and we are ready to give you all the support.
“I am here to make sure that the relationship blossoms both on democracy and the economic side,” Ambassador Mills said.
Tinubu meets APC govs, traditional rulers, Islamic clerics
Meanwhile, as part of spirited efforts to stop the planned nationwide protest tagged #Endbadgovernanceprotes scheduled to start from August 1, Tinubu on Thursday, held separate meetings with governors elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, traditional rulers and Islamic cleric s at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, members of the President’s cabinet; the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyar, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, among others.
In attendance were the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, Ooni Of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Dein Of Agbor, His Royal Majesty Benjamin Ikenchukwu, Keagborekuzi I.
Following the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira since the inception of the Tinubu government, the cost of living has soared, prompting the administration to reel out a raft of measures including a new minimum wage and the distribution of palliative.
Traditional rulers call for calm
After their meeting with the president, the traditional leaders called for calm over the planned nationwide protest.
The Dein of Agbor, HRM Ikenchukwu, said after the meeting that, “We will listen to our youths because they lead the future. The power and the strength of Nigeria are certainly with the young people,”
“We feel your pain. I’m a young person myself. It’s been 24 years that I’ve been back and it’s been 24 years that I’ve sadly seen the nation going in a very unpalatable direction. But by God’s grace, I think if you would give us the chance, this protest, I know that it’s catching you very, very high in the net. But if you give us the chance, let us not destroy our own country. ”
On his part, the Emir of Zazzau Ahmed Bamalli said the country’s leaders are worried about the planned protest but called “on our people to exercise patience and to listen to the words of wisdom”.
“Well, the message we are taking back to our people is to be calm, to exercise patience, and also to listen to the words of wisdom coming from the traditional rulers and from the governors because we have spoken to the President and he has given us the blueprint of what he has been doing over time,” he said.
The Ooni of Ife Oba Adeye Enitan Ogunwusi also followed a similar line but called for caution so the protest would not be hijacked.
“We traditional rulers are not engaged in people, especially the youth coming out to start looting to start breaking down law and order. We are parents, we are traditional rulers, we are closer to them,” he said.
“We are going to go back home and continue to engage them. It is very difficult to build, but it is the easiest to destroy. We are all stakeholders in this country. We should be stronger as a nation together, than stronger individually.”
Protest planners don't love Nigeria - Tinubu
Speaking when he received a delegation of Islamic leaders led by Sheikh Bala Lau, Tinubu argued the sponsors of the demonstrations do not love the country.
While he did not identify any sponsor, he said those championing the cause of the protests have alternative passports and hold meetings virtually across the world.
“The sponsors of protests do not love our country. They have no love for the nation. They do not understand citizenship. They have alternative passports,” Tinubu was quoted as saying in a statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
“They are in different parts of the world holding meetings virtually. We do not want to turn Nigeria into Sudan. We are talking about hunger, not burials. We have to be careful. We should be careful with premature politics; politics of hate, and anger.
“The internet has made it possible to hold meetings in artificial settings. They hold meetings and sponsor anger,” the President told the religious leaders.
President Tinubu argued that protests fuelled by anger and hate, could degenerate into violence and set the country backward.
No Cabal
During the meeting, the President allayed fears of manipulation by any interest group in the ongoing economic reforms.
He maintained that his campaign was self-sponsored, without strings, or indebtedness to any individual or institution.
“I have no cabal. I have no sponsors. The money I spent on the elections was my personal fortune. At some point, the odds were against me; banks were locked. But Allah, the Almighty God, said I will be the President. Mine is to now follow the leading and teaching of the Almighty God.
“One of the most potent elements of defence is a good conscience. It is also a defence against corruption.
“What should be uppermost in our minds is the future of our children. We have a lot to teach them on what it takes to be a good citizen and what it takes to be a responsible citizen,” the President stated.
Tinubu meets APC governors
Earlier on on Thursday, the president met with the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Chairman of the PGF and governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, led the team of governors to the President’s office, along with Chairman of the Nigeria’s Governors Forum, Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman of Kwara State.
Also sighted was the reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu; Bassey Otu, (Cross River); Benue State Governor, Fr Hycinth Alia; Uba Sani of Kaduna State; and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, among others.
Also spotted were the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, his colleague in Budget & Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, respectively.
The meeting came after an earlier meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, which held on Wednesday night and after the cancellation of the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting earlier scheduled for yesterday.
DSS identifies sponsors, warns against action
Meanwhile, the Department of State Service (DSS) on Thursday, said it had already identified the sponsors of the planned protest and warned them not to proceed with it as it is not in the nation’s interest.
Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications of the agency, Dr. Peter Afunanya, warned in a statement that it has intelligence that the planned protest would be hijacked by hoodlums to cause chaos and extreme violence in the country.
The statement alleged that the goal of the planners was to cause regime change, especially at the centre.
It read: “The DSS has followed the discourse on planned protests in parts of the country in the coming weeks by persons and groups yet to identify themselves in the public as leaders of the plot.
“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land. It has also identified the reason behind the protest to be political.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments; make them unpopular and pit them against the masses. The long-term objective is to achieve a regime change, especially at the centre.
“The service has also identified, among others, the funding lines, sponsors and collaborators of the plot. However, it does not think that aggression should be the first line of action in the instance, in handling the emerging scenario.
‘’It has instead, variously applied non-kinetic and conflict resolution strategies, including moral suasion, stakeholder engagement and other multi-track diplomatic shuttles, to dissuade the planners from actualising their undesirable objective.
“Based on the foregoing, the service wishes to warn all the protest groups to eschew any form of proposed rage, anarchy and spoilation.
“While the different levels of government have routinely explained their agenda to ameliorate alleged harsh economic conditions, the service urges the prospective protesters to listen to the voice of reason, good conscience and patiently engage with the authorities, in the interest of peace.
“This has become important, given that violence begets the destruction of lives and property as well as serve as a distraction to governance. The agitators are encouraged to use ample ways available to them to channel their grievances without resorting to violence.
“The service calls on people of goodwill, leaders of thought, captains of industry, labour unions, student associations, youth leaders, the civil society, clergy, NGOs, women groups, civil servants and politicians to shun any invitation to participate in any orchestrated violence, deliberately designed to cause disaffection in the country.
“Similarly, parents, guardians, heads of traditional and academic institutions are respectively urged to advise their children, wards, subjects and students not to take part in the planned protest. Let us all join hands to build a nation without rancour, bitterness or stained banners.
“The service will work with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to maintain peace.
It will, where necessary, apply all legitimate methods to achieve this.’’
Intelligence reports has shown protest’ll lead to violence, DHQ warns.
On its part, defence headquarters, DHQ, also yesterday, warned against the protest, saying it could be hijacked by violent elements, according to its intelligence report.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, who made this known at a briefing in Abuja, said the planned protest bore similarities to violent and unresolved events in Kenya, adding that “there are strong indicators that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the process, leading to anarchy.’’
He, however, declared that the military will not allow the nation to descend into chaos and will take action to prevent violent occurrences.
He said: “The protest aims to show you what is happening in Kenya. And I would add that what is happening in Kenya in terms of the protest is one, violence; two, it remains unresolved as we speak now.
“Based on what has been gathered, there are plans by some unscrupulous elements to hijack this protest and make sure it turns violent. When it turns violent, I want to tell you what we have seen as it would likely happen.
“The constitution is clear on the military’s role and involvement. Citizens have the right to peaceful protest, but not to mobilize for anarchy and unleash terror.”
He cited potential targets, including individuals with basic possessions, places of worship, businesses, and markets.
General Buba urged citizens to recognize the unique circumstances surrounding this protest and called for calm.
He said government should be allowed to address the situation and restore national prosperity.
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