Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has said he is happy that people of South-East did not join the hunger protest going on across the country.

Hope Uzodimma said the decision not to join the ‘EndBadGovernanceinNigeria’ protest showed wisdom.

He added that residents of the region recognized the danger that hoodlums would hijack the protest.

In a statement on Friday, Governor Uzodimma explained that while peaceful protest is a right of the citizens, President Bola Tinubu has shown commitment to addressing the challenges facing the country.

He further alleged that the hunger protest was sponsored by politicians who contributed to the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum said, “I commend our people of the South Eastern region for heeding our appeal not to join the nationwide protest. Your wisdom in recognizing the potential danger of hijackers targeting peaceful demonstrators is truly commendable. While peaceful protest is undoubtedly a right of the people, your decision to prioritize safety and stability showcases great prudence.

“It is unfortunate that those who contributed to our current economic challenges are now the ones sponsoring protests instead of working with FG for resolution. This reaction comes simply because we have a President who is courageous enough to dismantle the entrenched cabal exploiting our common resources.”

Uzodimma called on Nigerians to support President Tinubu. He appealed to the protesters to embrace dialogue.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown compassion and determination in addressing the inherited challenges. He deserves our unwavering support as he works towards a more prosperous future. Let us stand united in this mission with dialogue, which remains the best path to achieving our demands,” he added.

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has refuted the claim made by ex-Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, about informing him (Saraki) before withdrawing for former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2022 presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held inside the velodrome of the National Stadium in, Abuja.

Tambuwal had made the claim in an interview on the Arise TV programme titled ‘Untold Stories With Adesuwa’.

 

However, in a statement by his Media Office signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki stated that Tambuwal never informed him that he would withdraw for Atiku.

Saraki said Tambuwal took him by surprise at the PDP presidential convention when he returned to the podium to announce his withdrawal after he had addressed the delegates seeking their votes to fly the PDP presidential flag in the 2023 general elections.

He added that Tambuwal should take responsibility for his decision and actions, noting that he had nothing to do with the former Governor’s withdrawal for Atiku.

The statement reads: “I need to set the record straight. When I saw Tambuwal returning to the podium after he had earlier addressed the delegates to canvass for their votes, I wondered what was happening. His announcement that he had withdrawn from the race and that the delegates who were supporting him should vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar took me by surprise.

“Tambuwal is my friend but he should take responsibility for his decisions and actions. He never discussed withdrawal from the race with me. I never contemplated withdrawing my candidature from the race and had nothing to do with the decision process that led to his withdrawal in favour of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has charged President Bola Tinubu to listen to Nigerians who have taken to the streets to protest the current hardship in the country.

Nigerians had set August 1 as the date to commence protest against bad governance and hardship and the first day was deemed successful. Some lives and properties were, however, lost and destroyed in the process.

 

Atiku took to his verified Facebook page on Friday to commend the protesters and charge Tinubu’s government on the way forward.

 

He wrote, “To the government, I admonish you to heed the voices of the people and come down from your high horses. It is time to demonstrate a sincere commitment to addressing the demands of the protesters. The nation cannot afford further days of unrest; let this be the moment where leadership listens and acts with integrity and urgency.

“The commencement of public protests across the country yesterday is noteworthy. These demonstrations have opened a vital channel for the public to express disapproval of government policies, furthering the essential conversation about good governance in our nation.

“For the most part, protesters have conducted themselves with admirable peace and must be commended for their restraint and dedication. However, in some isolated instances, there have been reports of violence, leading to regrettable clashes and brutalities by the police.

“I urge the protesters to maintain their peaceful stance and call on more Nigerians to show solidarity and support for the #EndBadGovernance peaceful protest. This is a pivotal moment for our collective voice to be heard, and it must be done with dignity and respect for the law.

“The police must refrain from the molestation of journalists who are merely reporting the protest. It is imperative that security agencies exercise restraint while enforcing law and order,” he added.

“Security agencies are encouraged to identify and isolate the minority elements who are resorting to violence and looting, ensuring that the actions of a few do not tarnish the majority of peaceful protesters,” he concluded.

...advise Tinubu to address issues

 

 

The Sultan of Sokoto and President of Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’adu Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, Friday called on the Nigerian youths to put an end to the ongoing nationwide protest.

The two religious leaders made the call in a statement they jointly signed with the Executive Secretary of NIREC, Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua.

 

Yesterday, the Sultan appealed to protesters and the conveners of the protests to sheath their swords and come to the dialogue table.

 

“With the ongoing protests in Nigeria and the information reaching His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, JNI, he once again appeals to the protest conveners, their covert and overt benefactors, as well as  other critical stakeholders to sheath their swords and urgently come to the table for dialogue.

“We genuinely feared escalation to an uncontrollable scenario and the reports are tilting towards that.

“Therefore, we in the name of Allah, the Most High call for an end to the snowballing rampaging, in the name of protest.

“We should all understand that there must be a stable country called Nigeria, before we can proudly call ourselves Nigerians.

“With tomorrow being Friday, Jumu’ah mosque Imams and Muslim leaders are implored to calm nerves and call on the Ummah to appreciate peace than chaotic state of affairs, which may even deny us congregational prayers…..

“Nevertheless, the Sultan of Sokoto, implores the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to address the nation, by assuring all Nigerians that peace, security, stability, relief to hardship and food security would be achieved under his stewardship, in-sha’Allah.

“Likewise, State Governors should also calm nerves, as silence is no longer golden at this moment of anxiety.

 

“In this time of challenge, we pray for guidance, protection, good health, and peace for all leaders, and for tranquility to prevail in Nigeria.

“May Allah, the Highest, also provide the quickest relief to all problems bedeviling the Nigerian state. Aamin.”

Fast forward to today, Sultan and Archbishop Daniel Okoh, opined: “The NIREC observes with heavy heart the happenings in the country at the moment. The protest that commenced in a peaceful manner on Thursday, August 1, 2024 despite pleas from all quarters, took a turn for the worse and became violent later in the day.

“In just a few hours lives and property were lost due to this unfortunate scenario,” the statement read. “NIREC hereby calls on fellow citizens of Nigeria to please call off this protest and give the government a chance to redeem itself.

“In just one day lives and enormous amount of property have been destroyed. Imagine if this continues for a prolonged period of time, only God knows the extent of damage that would be incurred,” the council said.

 

It also urged the security agencies to be more professional in the discharge of their duties.

NIREC urged the government to expedite action towards meeting the yearnings and needs of the citizens.

“We need a peaceful and tranquil nation we can be proud to call our own,” NIREC said.

Protesters have blocked major roads in Jos, the Plateau capital, urging President Bola Tinubu to address Nigerians over the hardships in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the number of protesters for the #EndBadGovernance# protest, has increased significantly, compared to Thursday, the first day of the protest.

 

The protesters blocked the Old Airport Roundabout, compelling motorists to seek alternative routes within the metropolis.

 

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung, urged Tinubu to save Nigerians the stress by addressing the nation.

“I thought the president would have saved Nigeria from the stress that the people are going through and the demonstration.

“But maybe due to ill advice, he thought the demonstration was not going to be possible, but it recorded 70 per cent success.

“Nigerians that came out yesterday and today indicate that the president should listen to Nigerians. Nigerians are talking.

“They are saying, restore the oil subsidy because you withdrew it and we are suffering; bring it back.

”Nigerians are saying that you increased the electricity tariff, and it is making us poorer.

“Nigerians are saying we want to go to the farm and do our businesses, but there is no security. Provide security.

 

“Are these demands too big for the government of Nigeria? I don’t think so,” Dalung said.

The convener of the protest in Jos, Prophet Isah Elbuba, said that the protest was going on peacefully and that the people were having a feeling of a festival, while at the same time, sharing their pain.

Elbuba urged the President to rise up to the occasion at this time in the history of Nigeria.

The convener urged the President to reverse the fuel price and re institute the subsidy.

According to him, the government needs to take proactive action to end hunger in the land.

 

Mr Sam Odeh, Programme Manager, International Organisation for Peace and Social Justice (PSJ), said in spite of their hungry state, the youths still remained peaceful, dancing and placing their demands before the government.

Odeh therefore, said the government needed to urgently address the issues that led to the protest. (NAN)

Muslim faithful participating in the ongoing nationwide protest on Friday in Lagos paused their ongoing demonstrations to observe the Jumaat prayers.

In photos on social media, Christians could be seen standing guard while Muslim faithful observe the prayer.

 

Juma’at is a prayer required of Muslim faithfuls every Friday.

 
 
 
 

Recall the nationwide protest against bad governance began on Thursday, August 1, and it’s ongoing in most parts of the country.

The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters have reconvened at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

This is coming a few minutes after the protesters and journalists were teargassed at the popular Berger roundabout.

Immediately after arriving at the stadium, the protesters chanted that they would not back down until the Federal Government met their demands.

Speaking to journalists, a protester identified as Tari, lamented the actions of the police officers.

 
 

 

She stated that they (the protesters) remain resolute and wouldn’t be intimidated by the actions of the police.

Tari said, “The police must explain to us why they are harassing us. There is hunger in the land. We remain resolute, we will remain on the streets unless the President listens to us. “

 

Another protester, Michael Zayi, said, “It is very bad. When a child cries and the parent doesn’t listen, the results are always not palatable. We are peaceful protesters. The issue behind the issue is that if the president had listened to us, we would not have been in this situation.

“Hope is alive when persistence is in motion. The worst thing in life is not death but hunger. People are hungry. No amount of teargas will stop us from demanding better lives for ourselves.”

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has described some Nigerians involved in the protest against economic hardship in the country as sore losers.

The Governor said those behind the protest want to oust President Bola Tinubu from power, but are only hiding under the guise of protests to express their dissatisfaction with the President. 

He added that such persons should wait till 2027 rather than sponsor faceless protests against the government.

According to him, those who voted for Tinubu and want him as their President are more than those who voted against him.

The Ogun State Governor made the submission on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television where he spoke about the #EndBadGovernance protest.

“The majority of Nigerians voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He majorly won the election, and that says one this; those who wanted him to be president were far more than those who didn’t. The problem we have today is that Nigerians are sore losers. Rather than accept the fact that you want a regime change and wait till 2027, don’t begin to sponsor faceless, leaderless protests under the guise that you’re dissatisfied,” he said.

Abiodun added that the current economic challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria and instead of protests, Nigerians should join hands with President Tinubu to build the country.

“The economic realities is not is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. There were protests in Ghana yesterday, there were protests in London today. So what are we talking about? The medicine for a headache is not to cut off the head. We must all work and join hands together and speak to each other. Let us have a dialogue that is constructive,” the Governor said.

…Denies Declaring War On Northerners, Leading Hunger Protests

 

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately arrest and prosecute those behind the divisive genocidal threat against the Igbo in the South-West immediately.

 

Obi made the call on Friday following a trending call by certain elements from the South-West for Nigerians from the South-East geopolitical zone to be driven away from the South-West geopolitical zone.

They blamed the Igbo for the ongoing hunger protests which have degenerated to Tinubu Must Go.

Tinubu is of the Yoruba ethnic stock from the South-West geopolitical zone. They alleged the Igbo are behind the protest to remove “our brother (Tinubu)” from office.

An individual who runs an account called Lagospedia on X/Twitter made the post urging “Lagosians and every South-West stakeholders to prepare for the massive protest of IgboMustGo on the 20th to 30th of August,” on July 27.

 

The post which was latched into by other Lagospedia apologists further said “they have one month from now to leave and relocate their business from all South-West states.

“We urged all Yoruba living in the South-East states to return home,” the post said.

The threat has not been condemned by the police or any security agency and the individual has not been arrested as of the time of filing this report.

Obi condemned the incendiary rhetoric and likened it to genocide.

Stating that it’s really “deeply disturbing,” he said he has “read genocidal threats on X against the Igbo tribe, calling for their relocation.

 

“Let me pointedly warn that such rhetoric threatens our unity and is fundamentally opposed to our Constitution, which guarantees every Nigerian the right to live and work freely anywhere in the country.

“Those in authority must show leadership and urgently speak out against such divisive rhetoric,” he said.

Obi added that immediate action should be taken to “investigate, arrest, and prosecute those behind this heinous agenda, serving as a deterrent to others who might consider pursuing similar paths that threaten our national security and unity.”

 

He urged “all Nigerians to stand united against this divisive rhetoric and to champion unity, tolerance, and understanding” adding that “our future depends on our ability to live and work together harmoniously.

“The government and security agencies must act swiftly to protect this fundamental principle and ensure that every Nigerian can live free from fear of discrimination or persecution. We must not allow our present challenges to drive wedges among us.

“We can only overcome our national challenges if we act together as one people United under God,” he added.

 

 

I Never Declared War On Northerners Or Led Hunger Protests

The former Anambra State governor also raised an alarm that people have been paid to blackmail him to conform to their nefarious agenda denying ever declaring war on Nigerians from the north.

He said, “I have noticed some deliberate and well-orchestrated efforts by some persons to blackmail me into conforming to some of their nefarious agendas.

“Their dubious moves have led to the false circulation of a video from my recent keynote speech at the installation of Rotarian Professor A. U. Nnonyelu in Anambra State.

“They have twisted the video to suit their motive to suggest that I declared war on Northerners when, in fact, I spoke about declaring war on economic stagnation, insecurity, and corruption.”

Similarly he said “another video circulating online, supposedly showing me leading a protest in Abuja, is also false.

“The video was actually taken during my visit to the Labour Party HQ, where I mediated a clash between the Labour Party and the NLC.”

He stated that the video was “conveniently edited to create a false narrative, and those responsible have been paid to spread this misinformation.”

This “kind of misinformation” he said “has no place in our democracy, where truth and honesty should prevail.”

He said it’s a “misrepresentation,” which “is part of a larger narrative of blackmail, aimed at fitting me into their malicious agenda.”

He emphasised that he remains “committed to a new Nigeria where justice, equity, and caring for the citizens will prevail over the greed of a few.”

Amid reports that WhatsApp may exit Nigeria because of a $220 million fine, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said Nigeria’s case will not be different.

FCCPC said WhatsApp and Meta infringed and violated the privacy rights of Nigerians and were fined in line with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).

 

It said the company has been found to have violated the privacy of users in other countries, including the United States, adding that the company paid fines approved by the US data protection agency without the threat of exiting.

FCCPC said Meta and WhatsApp denied Nigerians their rights to control their personal data and shared Nigeria users’ data without the authorization and consent of citizens.

The regulatory agency also said WhatsApp discriminated against Nigerian users in its business policy when compared with users of other jurisdictions.

In a statement on Thursday, FCCPC advised WhatsApp to take legal steps to address its displeasure with its order.

The statement read: “WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.

“The FCCPC investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).

“The Commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA and the NDPR. These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorization, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.”

The statement added that WhatsApp and Meta are required to comply with Nigeria’s data policy. It stated that the fine of $220 million was to deter WhatsApp from future violations and ensure accountability.

The final order requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights.

“To deter future violations and ensure accountability for the alleged infringements the FCCPC also imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million.

“The FCCPC’s actions are based on legitimate concerns about consumer protection and data privacy and the order is a positive step towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria. Similar measures are taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market. The case of Nigeria will not be different,” FCCPC said.