A nationwide protest against economic hardship, gaining momentum on social media, is scheduled to take place across all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August.
The rising prices of food and basic commodities have exacerbated the economic struggles of Nigerians, who are grappling with severe inflation and an economic crisis sparked by the government’s recent policies, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows.
In response, the Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police Force, and the House of Representatives, has issued warnings against the planned demonstrations.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Saturday accused the Labour Party and its leader, Peter Obi, of orchestrating the protest to draw President Bola Tinubu’s attention to the country’s economic woes. “Don’t be fooled: the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And he should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the action,” Onanuga alleged in a post on X.
He further warned that the protest could resemble the ENDSARS demonstrations against police brutality in 2020, which turned destructive after being hijacked by unscrupulous elements.
Onanuga insisted that the economy is improving and that inflation is slowing. “There is no country in the world where people are not going through some economic challenges and where the cost of living is not a major issue,” he added. He urged security agents to “interrogate these agents of destabilisation.”
In a counterstatement, Labour Party spokesman Obiora Ifoh denied Onanuga’s claims. “There is no truth in that and the tweet is just the author’s figment of his imagination,” Ifoh stated. He emphasized that the Labour Party is committed to peace and has always urged its followers to remain peaceful. “Labour Party, Peter Obi, and our supporters are not planning any protests,” Ifoh added.
Ifoh asserted that peaceful protests worldwide are initiated and executed by the people, not by the opposition. He criticized the government for seeking to blame others for poor governance. “Nigeria can still get it right if the right policies are initiated. We also advise that some aides of the presidency must be cautioned to avoid incendiary pronouncements capable of combusting the nation, all in the name of playing politics,” Ifoh said.
