Tinubu making genuine efforts to tackle challenges, Barau tells hunger protesters

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, has appealed to the organisers of the planned nationwide protest to reconsider their decision and shelve the idea so that the fragile peace in the country would not be disrupted.

Barau, who is also the first Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said President Bola Tinubu is making genuine efforts to address the country’s challenges.

PUNCH Online reports that the organisers of the protest have scheduled a nationwide demonstration for Thursday, August 1.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau urged the promoters to give the government more time to implement lofty programmes and policies of the administration as captured in the Renewed Hope Agenda for the country’s socio-economic development.

He said that since the government was inaugurated on May 29, 2023, it has diligently worked hard to restore the country’s glory and return it to the path of progress and prosperity for the benefit of all.

“As we all know, one year is not enough to address the country’s challenges for decades. Various interventions have been rolled out, and this administration is conceiving more. Short, medium and long-term measures are being put in place to tackle the challenges that have been with us for decades,” he said.

He said the signing of the North West and South East Development Commissions bills into law by President Tinubu was one of the measures to address the challenges facing all parts of the country.

Barau drew the attention of the promoters of the protest of how what started as peaceful demonstrations in Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan, turned bloody and took the countries backwards.

He added, “Against this backdrop, l urge everyone to reflect deeply on the problem and reconsider the idea of a protest. There is a risk that the protest could be hijacked.

“This is our country; we have no place to go other than the Federal Republic of Nigeria bequeathed on us by our forefathers. Exercise more patience and allow for more time. We will get it right. The efforts of the new Government will yield the desired results, by the grace of God.”