This Protest Is Not Really About Bad Governance – Presidency

The presidency has disagreed with Nigerians that the hunger protest is really aimed at ending bad governance in the country.

The Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement to President Bola Tinubu, Abiodun Essiet, said if the ‘EndBadGovernanceinNigeria‘ was aimed at addressing issues of endemic bad governance citizens should have directed their protests to state governors and local government leaders.

Abiodun Essiet said this on Friday, day two of hunger protest by citizens against the policies of President Tinubu-led federal government.

While many Nigerians are calling on the President to address the protesters, Essiet argued that citizens interested in ending bad governance should be demanding accountability from state governors, particularly, on how they spend monthly allocation from the federal government.

Essiet, on her X handle, wrote, “If it is really about #EndBadGovernace then we have three arms of government, the arm of government that is closest to the grassroots is the local government, then the state government.

“How many people are asking their state Governors how they spend their monthly allocations given by the federal government? And their internally generated revenues? 20 trailers of rice were distributed to all 36 state governors and FCT, did you receive any rice?

“Let’s take FCT for instance. The Minister has mandate secretaries who manage different sectors of the government, FCT has six area councils and 62 councilors, they have the mandate to engage the grassroots. Engage all your state commissioners, engage all your councilors. We have the FOI Act, make use of it.”