Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged Nigerians, particularly the youths of the country, to avoid participating in the planned nationwide protest.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja on Monday after President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law, Akpabio said some faceless persons who lost out in the 2023 elections are the ones trying to instigate people against the government.
According to the Senate President, while peaceful protests are part of the fundamental rights of the citizens, the planned protest could lead to violence which could, in turn, lead to the destruction of property and destabilization of the country.
He submitted that the challenges Nigeria is going through were not caused by the current administration, but the neglect of past governments.
Akpabio said the Tinubu government is working hard at tackling the challenges and should be given more time for its efforts to yield desired results.
He urged Nigerian youth to reject anarchy and work towards developing themselves and their communities, rather than engaging in destructive activities.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on those who are attempting to foment trouble that you have a right to protest, it’s your fundamental right, it’s there in the Constitution, but you don’t have a right to destabilize the country. The right to protest should not be turned into a right to unleash violence.
It’s very clear that people who are… it’s already very amorphous, very faceless. So what it means is that people are preparing to loot and go round and do all sorts of things.
“Where we are today was not caused by one year’s administration, it is the outcome of years of insecurity. Many people could not go to farm for almost 10 years and all that and the President has risen to the occasion.
“Every food item that is coming in now will come in without anything like restriction, there is no restriction, bringing in food because Nigerians need to eat and at the same time, most things are coming in with a lot of waivers.
“So for me, I’m excited that yes, indeed the government is doing what it should and we the leaders in the National Assembly, we are touching our various constituencies. So my appeal to the Nigerian youth does not to allow any group to mislead you politically, people who probably did not have their fortunes in the 2023 election and thinking they can come in through the backdoor. That will amount to anarchy.
“Any destruction of any property will cost money and we don’t have the money. Instead, let’s put the money in developing you and developing your environs instead of going to rebuild”, the Senate president said.
