UPDATED: Planned Protests: Tinubu meets APC governors, traditional rulers, Islamic clerics

President Bola Tinubu held separate meetings on Thursday with APC governors, traditional rulers from around the country, and Islamic clerics. The meetings are believed to be part of efforts to prevent the breakdown of law and order as young Nigerians prepare for a nationwide protest.

The meeting with the APC governors was held first followed by the one with traditional rulers.

All the meetings were held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to Premium Times report, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, also attended the meeting with the traditional rulers.

Three traditional rulers who attended the meeting with the president spoke to journalists afterwards, calling for calm.

“Nobody that will not be worried about the protest,” the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli, said. “…we are calling on our people to exercise patience and to listen to the words of wisdom.”

The traditional rulers also told the president to improve efforts to address the insecurity in the country. “The main problem in this country, especially the north is insecurity. If the security situation is addressed certainly people will go back to their farms and the issue of hunger will drastically reduce and disappear,” Mr Bamalli said.

The Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, said the traditional rulers are not against the protests but want it to be civil.

“People that are out there to protest, it’s their civic right, but let them put a face to it and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives. That is our stand,” he said.

On his part, the Dein of Agbor, Benjamin Keagborekuzi, said though he understands the grievances of Nigerians, he believed the government is making the right decisions and citizens need to be patient.

“I think if you give us the chance, this protest, I know that it’s catching very high in your neck, but if you give us the chance, let us not destroy our own country,” he said.

Many young Nigerians have been discussing on social media and calling for mass protests next month to protest the cost of living crisis in the country.

Prices of basic goods and services have more than doubled since President Tinubu announced the removal of subsidy on petrol last year.

Aminu Daurawa, one of the clerics who attended the meeting with Mr Tinubu, said their message to the president was clear: “He should invite the youth as soon as possible, address their grievances, and take decisive action immediately.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Nigerian military warned against the planned nationwide protest, saying it has the potential of degenerating into anarchy and a reign of terror based on the situational analysis by the military high command.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, said there are already indicators that unscrupulous elements are bent on hijacking the planned protest for violent purposes.

Mr Buba said while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, they do not have a right to mobilise for anarchy.

Opposition parties and leaders have maintained that the people have the constitutional right to protest. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said any attempt to suppress these rights is unconstitutional and a direct affront to democracy.

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