The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to grant it more time to address the prevailing hardships in the country, emphasizing that efforts are underway to resolve these issues. This appeal comes amidst rising discontent and calls for a nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The government, referring to the planned protests as a “family matter,” assured that all concerns would be addressed to maintain peace and stability. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed this message on Wednesday in Abuja following a meeting convened by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Idris stated, “We came together to discuss. You can see that this is not happening at the Council Chambers, it is happening at the office of the SGF and many of the ministers are here. We have discussed issues of national interest and all of us are working for Nigeria, and we hope and believe that Nigeria is going to be great again. No one is going to sleep. Those who are agitating and asking for protests are Nigerians, they are our brothers, they are our sisters, they are all Nigerians and those in positions of authority, the ministers, the President, everybody, we are all Nigerians too. So, this is a family matter. This is a Nigerian family issue and all of us are looking at this issue very well and we hope that peace will prevail at the end of the day.”
Addressing whether the government has been engaging with the protest organizers, Idris confirmed ongoing dialogue. “Engagement has been ongoing. The President has met severally with all key stakeholders. I have also been meeting with stakeholders, other government functionaries have also been meeting with other key stakeholders. Engagement is going to continue and in the interest of Nigeria, we will continue to engage. We know this is the only country that all of us have and at the end of the day, Nigeria is going to be better for all of us for it,” he added.
Regarding statements from individuals like Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, insisting on the protests, Idris acknowledged their right to express opinions in a democracy.
The meeting was attended by several ministers, including Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties), Tahir Mamman (Education), Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning), Wale Edun (Finance), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bello Matawalle (Defence), David Umahi (Works), and the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, among others.
