Nigeria's President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged protesters and their organisers to stop any further protests and yield to dialogue which he said he has always advocated.
Tinubu stated Sunday morning, August 4, 2024, when he addressed the nation on the ongoing #EndBadGovernment protest which has entered fourth day, having started on Thursday with expected end date, August 10.
He said, :My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.
"But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.
"The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilising our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.
"My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.
"Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
"Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!"
He however called on security operatives to continue to maintain peace, law, and order in the country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory, adding, "The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount."
Though the President has expressed pain at the number of killings associated with the #EndBadGovernment protest, he failed to address the demands of the protesters which include, cutting down on government spending, addressing unemployment, hunger, among others.
While noting that democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected, Tonubu added, "My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.
"For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.
"These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people - good governance for that matter.
The President also broke his silence on the #IgboMustGo campaign by LagosPedia, which has given Igbos from Nigeria’s South-East up to the end of this month to leave Lagos and the entire South-West for undisclosed offences.
“For those who have taken advantage of this situation to threaten any ethnic group, the law will catch up with you,” Tinubu said, as he enjoined law enforcement agencies to continue to protect innocent citizens", he stated.