As the clock ticks for the August 1, 2024 nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance in Nigeria, fingers are pointing at the losers of the 2023 presidential elections as the masterminds behind the planned protest.
Making the allegation on Sunday in Port Harcourt, the caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers state, Chief Tony Okocha “those behind this unpatriotic call are bad electoral losers who shouldn’t be in politics in the first place because they lack the spirit of sportsmanship.
“This set of people who are organizing and mobilizing for the “Nationwide Protest” are well known serial political failures. Those calling for a “Nationwide Protest” of any nature for whatever reason should fact-check what such protest resulted to in countries like Sudan.
“While it’s within their right to speak up against whatever is perceived not to be happening the way it ought to under the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they should ensure that the planned protest doesn’t result in any breakdown of law and order, and doesn’t result to the loss of the lives of innocent Nigerians who are going about their legitimate businesses”.
Okocha further alleged that the sponsors and organizers of the so-called “Nationwide Protest” are also calling for the takeover of the government. “I hope they are aware of the offence (s) behind the call for the takeover of a legitimate government of any country in the world”.
The APC Chairman noted that, a lot of countries in the world are grappling with issues related to the global economic downturn of which Nigeria isn’t an exception. As a response to the economic situation in the country, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is coming up with proactive steps and responses in the form of policies, programs, and initiatives geared towards ameliorating the temporary hardship being experienced by Nigerians at the moment.
As a way of supporting households in the 36 States in Nigeria, a credit corporation has been launched to promote consumption credit. “The Federal Government has also made palliatives available, including 740 trucks of rice to the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“The Federal and State Governments are investing heavily in agriculture to produce more food at the moment. There’s an improvement in the economy especially with a record level increase in the area of revenue generation by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
“The national debt has been reduced in dollar terms and investors are gaining more confidence in the government, and are returning back to our country. At the moment, our stock market is the best in the world with a 33% returns on investment.
“It is no longer news that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has graciously approved an increment in the minimum wage of the Nigerian worker by over 100% from #30,000 to #70,000. It is equally important to add that this increment is not a one-stop measure as it will be reviewed upwards every two (2) years as agreed with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)”.
He recalled that to make life more meaningful for the citizenry, the 360 Members of the House of Representatives in the National Assembly have agreed to donate 50% of their monthly remuneration/salaries for the next 6 months to the Federal Government.
“This act of patriotism by members of the Green Chambers of the National Assembly is unprecedented in the 64 years history of our nation’s existence. All of these are indication of the level of trust and confidence in the ability of Mr President to turn this country around in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The call for a “Nationwide Protest” is unpatriotic, insensitive, and disruptive. It should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. What we need now is more support for the government and not the selfish call by some aggrieved politicians for their personal agenda”, Okocha conlcuded.
