The presidency has challenged Peter Obi, former Labour Party presidential candidate, to take the lead in the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, which he endorsed on Sunday.
The protest aims to address issues of hunger and economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
Spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, threw down the gauntlet to Obi, who had previously endorsed the protest during a visit to Abia State Governor Alex Otti.
Obi argued that there was nothing wrong with Nigerians staging a protest to voice their grievances, emphasizing that such actions should be conducted peacefully and within the law.
Obi said, “Protest is allowed within the Nigerian Constitution. All I plead for is for those who are protesting to do so within the law and in a civil manner that allows us as a nation to show that we live within the law.
“Everybody knows that things are difficult and I always say that when they talk about the sponsors of protests, the sponsors are very simple, it is hunger, it is hopelessness among the youths. So, we all have to listen to what Nigerians are going through and I thank our Governor (Otti) for doing so. It is critical and important.”
Obi also called on security agencies to protect protesters and avoid provoking violence.
Obi had said, “What I have to say to the security agencies is to ensure that they manage the situation within the law. We should not try to be overbearing. It should be something that we do within the law.”
He added, “Protest is allowed globally. And, I also say that people protest in my house and it is for us to listen to those who are protesting and why they are protesting and engage them. That is what governance is all about, you talk with them, and there is nothing wrong in that. I was governor for years and people protested and we kept dialoguing and deliberating about it.”
Onanuga, in response to Obi’s endorsement of the protest, urged him to follow the example set by Tinubu and Buhari by publicly leading the protest rather than merely supporting it from behind the scenes. Onanuga criticized Obi for allegedly orchestrating the protest without taking a visible leadership role.
