- By Halimah Olamide
The All Progressive Congress on Tuesday said opposition parties are the ones sponsoring protests by some Nigerians over economic situation in the country.
The ruling party said opposition parties have resorted to instigating unsuspecting young people to protests in the streets of some major cities.
A statement by Felix Morka National Publicity Secretary of the party said protests in Minna and Kano on Monday “were the manifestation of this devious and unpatriotic plot.”
The statement went further, “That the protests happened simultaneously in both cities is not coincidental. It bears a bold stamp of an orchestrated and coordinated effort to instigate unrest and undermine the government. This mercenary opposition tactic is a clear and present threat to public peace and national security.”
The party said it recognizes the right of citizens to engage in peaceful protest, urging people to be vigilant and not lend themselves to what it called “the treacherous attempt by the opposition to promote social strife by its incendiary rhetoric and manipulative plots.”
It added, “The President Bola Tinubu-led administration is solidly committed to doing everything in its power to mitigate the transient pains of critically important reforms that are crucial to economic recovery and sustainable prosperity for all Nigerians. It behoves us as good citizens of our beloved country to stand fast with our government in this noble stride. In due time, these policy reforms will yield enduring beneficial transformation of the material conditions of life in the country.
“We implore Nigerians to shun the guile and unpatriotic attempt by opposition elements to destabilize the country for their own base and parochial political gains.”