Protest Demands Are Misguided – Presidency

The Presidency has said the demands of the hunger protesters are misguided, leading to violence and destruction that happened in major cities in the country.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication to Vice President Kashim Shettima, Stanley Nkwocha, said while protest remains a powerful tool to drive positive change and promote a more just and equitable society, the #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protest exposed the sinister motive of the opposition parties.

Nkwocha said the demand for reversal of fuel subsidy was wrong. He noted that taking into cognizance that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima had just begun addressing deep inherited problems, the protest was not proper.

“Peaceful protest is a powerful tool for driving positive change and promoting a more just and equitable society. This is why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been rightly adjudged the protester-in-chief because in the three phases of his political life, and now president – currently restoring a system that will take development and dividends of democracy to the grassroots.

“However, the nationwide protest and the kind of violence and wanton destruction that happened in some major cities in the country by underage Nigerians are misdirected and uncalled for. The protests have taken a disturbing turn, exposing a sinister motive of the opposition.

“What was meant to be a peaceful protest has been hijacked by some individuals who have incited underage Nigerians to embark on violence, looting, and chaos, leaving innocent traders and citizens to suffer the consequences,” Nkwocha said.

Shettima’s spokesman explained that the hunger protest crossed the line. He emphasized that the waving of Russian flags and calls for the military to take over were unpatriotic and dangerous.

“The type of protest we are witnessing seems to have crossed the line, with heinous economic crimes committed against traders whose shops were looted and lives lost. This is not protest; it is wanton destruction of our nationhood.

“The calls for foreign intervention and military takeover are unpatriotic and dangerous. Protesters were freely waving a foreign flag, calling for intervention, forgetting that politics can only thrive in a peaceful Nigeria.

“Besides, the protest demands are misguided. This is a clear indication that contrary to what well-meaning Nigerians are demanding, a section of the protests are driven by political expediency rather than a genuine desire for reforms.

“President Tinubu and his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, have only just begun to address the deep-seated problems they inherited. Rather than calling for the reversal of fuel subsidy removal, we should be giving kudos to the Tinubu administration for increased federal allocations.

“The decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems was born out of the need to address economic mismanagement and promote growth. These reforms are necessary to stabilize the economy, attract foreign investment, and create jobs,” Nkwocha stated.

He further called on Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s economic policies and embrace his call for dialogue.