Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum in Nigeria, Hope Uzodimma, announced on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, that the government does not support the planned nationwide protests scheduled for August, citing the fragile political environment and potential for criminal hijack.
Governor Uzodimma, speaking to reporters at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, emphasized the need for stability and warned against actions that could exacerbate economic hardships.
“I think it’s too early at this time in the life of this government for anybody to come out to say he wants to protest,” Uzodimma stated. “First of all, there have not been any engagements where those who are sponsoring the protest were able to tell us the reasons for the protests.”
Drawing a parallel to the #EndSARS movement of 2020, Uzodimma highlighted the dangers of protests being hijacked by criminals. He expressed skepticism about the motives behind the planned demonstrations, questioning their lack of clear objectives.
“We are not going to support any protest that has no programmes, that is not discussed, that nobody knows what the problem is,” he said. “If you are protesting, what do you want the government to do? Because the reason for protests is that they want an issue to be addressed. What are the issues?”
Uzodimma urged Nigerians to consider the broader economic context and avoid actions that could worsen the current economic recession. “I advise against the protests,” he concluded.
