ABUJA: Senate President Godswill Akpabio has warned against the nationwide protest over hardship, claiming some people who lost elections may take advantage of it.
Godswill Akpabio has accused the candidates who lost out in the 2023 presidential election of sponsoring the planned nationwide protest.
Mr Akpabio spoke on Monday at the State House, Abuja, after he witnessed President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage bill into law.
The former two term Governor oil rich Akwa Ibom state who spoke at the State House in Abuja on Monday after President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law,. he says 2023 elections losers may take advantage of the nation wide protest.
Those that contested the Aso rock seat against President Tinub are; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. The former vice president under Preisdent Olusegun Obasejo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Mr Peter Ob, two term governor of Anambra state and the candidate of the Labour Party, Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC) , former two term governor of Kano state, Alhaji Kwankwaso and others.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC) and others ran against President Tinubu in the election.
Mr Akpabio also raised the alarm that some people are planning to use the protest to loot properties and commit other atrocities.
The senate president said he advice those who are planing to cause trouble to have a rethink . he said “So I want to use this opportunity to call on those who are attempting to foment trouble; that you have a right to protest. It is your fundamental right. It is there in the constitution.
But you don’t have a right to destabilise the country. The right to protest should not be turned into the right to unleash violence.
The president of the senate in continuation said that the hardship in the country was not caused by the economic decisions of President Tinubu but by the consequences of the policies of the past governments.
“Where we are today was not caused by one year’s administration. It is the outcome of years of insecurity. Many people could not go to farms for almost 10 years, and know that the President has risen to the occasion.
“Every food item that is coming in now will come in without anything like a restaurant solution. There are no restrictions; bring in food because Nigerians need to eat. And then at the same time, most things are coming in with a lot of waivers.
“So for me, I’m excited that, yes, indeed, the government is doing what it should. And we, the leaders in the National Assembly, are touching our various constituencies.
So my appeal to the Nigerian youth is, do not allow any group to mislead you politically,” Mr Akpabio said.
