Amid palpable fear that Nigerian youths will take to the streets from August 1, President Bola Tinubu has called an emergency meeting with the governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Hope Uzodimma, chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, led his counterparts to a closed-door meeting at the State House in Abuja.
Others at the meeting included National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar and the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, among several others.
The meeting came amid threats by Nigerians, especially youths, to protest and shut down the country over the economic hardship and hunger by the first week of August.
The planned protest tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ has continued to gain the attention and support of the masses who have been lamenting the unfavourable economic policies of Mr Tinubu’s government.
Mr Tinubu has been making frantic efforts to make the organisers of the protest shelve the demonstration.
Meanwhile, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has lent his voice to the Tinubu administration’s appeal to the youth to shelve the planned nationwide #EndBadGovt protest slated for August.
He pleaded with the youth to persevere through the rough period by giving the government time to allow its policies against hunger and economic hardship in the land to yield the desired results.
“This palace public announcement is issued on the authority of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, CFR, Oba of Benin. Arising from the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), held in Abuja, on Monday, 22nd July, 2024, the Omo N’Oba wishes to appeal to the general public to give the Federal Government enough time to implement its economic policy that will alleviate the present hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
“For things to get better, it has to be rough for a while. The Omo N’Oba therefore appeals to those that are planning the August 1st nationwide protest to shelve the plan,” a statement from the palace said.
The monarch urged the Tinubu government to intensify efforts to implement its economic and security policies.
