The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have expressed confusion over the motivations behind a planned nationwide protest, scheduled to take place from August 1 to 10, 2024.
Following a private meeting of the Progressives Governors’ Forum in Abuja, Chairman and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma stated that the governors are unclear about the protest’s objectives.
News About Nigeria reports that after the closed-door session of the Progressives Governors’ Forum in Abuja, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who chairs the Forum, spoke to the press.
Uzodimma, said, “We don’t know what they are protesting for. We invite all of them to sit down with us in a room so we can discuss and agree on the issues, what they are and proffer solutions.
“We as a body, we are committed to the unity of the country, we are committed to whatever thing that makes Nigerians live better lives, bring prosperity, jobs to be created for young boys and girls who graduated to be employed.”
The governor further stated that it was unwise at this moment for the country to have any demonstration by any group, urging Nigerians to shelve the planned protest.
He also enjoined Nigerians to be patient with the government, saying efforts are underway to ameliorate the economic hardship experienced in the country.
Uzodimma added, “We think it is not wise at this moment for any demonstration by any group of persons be it in whatever guise.
“This is so that we can manage the challenge of insecurity, the challenge of the national minimum wage, the challenge of food security and then the struggle to come out of the current economic recession.
“We are using this opportunity to also advise our young boys and girls to desist from being instigated into causing crisis or chaos in the country.
“Already, Nigerians have suffered a lot; the global economic recession, the insecurity in Nigeria, the political tension occasioned by instigations and campaign of calumny by opposition parties, the social media attacks on various policies of government.
“We want to advise for the interest of the country and as a show of patriotism, our citizens must take ownership of this country because we have no other country we can call our own outside Nigeria.”