The Arewa Initiative for Defence and Promotion of Democracy, an amalgamation of pro-democracy groups in 19 Northern states, has called on Nigerians to shun the perceived sponsored protests against the Federal Government.
Recently in Minna and Kano, citizens trooped out to protest against the high cost of living in the country as Ngeria’s economy bites harder on the masses.
Following the protests, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) accused opposition parties of sponsoring the demonstrations that happened simultaneously in the two cities.
The party argued that residents of the two states would not have taken to the streets at the same time to protest about the cost of living if their protests had not been sponsored.
Speaking on the subject at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, February 8, 2024, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, the chairman of the group, said the protests were uncalled for.
Ma’aji said President Bola Tinubu has already started addressing the problems, some of which according to him were inherited from the previous administration.
While urging Nigerians to be patient, Ma’aji maintained that eight months is too early to assess Tinubu’s administration.
He also urged Nigerians to show patriotism by cooperating with the president’s efforts to find solutions to the country’s security and economic problems.
“The current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited a lot of problems from the past administration of Muhammadu Buhari which it is currently trying to address.
“The solutions to the problems cannot be instantly solved but in a gradual pattern.
“Nigerians should show patriotism by cooperating with this administration in its bid to find solutions to the country’s problems such as inflation, corruption, insecurity — banditry and kidnapping that the country is currently facing,” the group chairman said.
However, the group added that its advice against protests is not an aversion to any form of legitimate demonstrations.
